Once a Pirate, Always a Pirate

People for the longest time have asked about the pirate reference. Here is a bit of history from which I will build on that explains a bit of what the reference means. I will explain later how the reference was bestowed upon me. – Pirate Mike…

A Pirates Life is good; he lives outside the sovereign boarders of areas that are ruled by kings. Kings rule by land, Pirates rule themselves, and live on the water. Pirates do not subject themselves to the rules of the land, this offends the rulers because if what they did was taxed they would not be pirates they would be commanders of the Navy! In fact in many references that are relatively recent, countries would hire pirates to do what they could not tell/justify to their subjects that they used the Navy for.

The reference to piracy goes back over 3000 years. It appears that the word pirate (peirato) was first used in about 140 BC by the Roman historian Polybius. The Greek historian Plutarch, writing in about 100 A.D., gave the oldest clear definition of piracy. ¹ In this writing the definition that Plutarch used was, "as those who attack without legal authority not only ships, but also maritime cities"

I think the phrase to focus on in this century is "without legal authority." Pirates answer to no one but God himself. Living on their own terms; finding their own way by day and night using the skills that they have developed by the rights of survival. Survival is the key; pirates live by sea and explore the land for resources. Pirate Captains were providers, using the resources that they find on land to maintain themselves, and their companions that follow their leadership about the ship.

Leadership is a key trait in all successful pirates. Without leadership there is no survival. Old pirates whom have lived by the sword for their entire lives have developed leadership, loyalty, tenacity, and entrepreneur desires. To desire to live free has become the utmost priority. To live and die by your dreams has become the mantra at any cost.

A pirate's fate is not a surprise. Pirates are not shocked by their end. Those that live by the sword know well that their end will be by the sword. Make no mistake, I do nothing that I am not aware of, or understand the consequences that could find me. To live fully and with emotion is important even to the modern day pirate. Without the great successes and failures, we would never know life. I put the war paint on every day and expect to be attacked, surprised, and overwhelmed. A day without such great experiences and emotions would be a sad day. To wake up without purpose, without direction would be like setting sail without a chart. Living life believing that the world is flat, as the Kings of old, is as silly as thinking that your dreams will come to you.

A pirate is not scared to sail toward the horizon. The horizon may look bleak to you, but know in your heart that on the other side is the land of riches. Those riches take many forms, love, destiny, provision, faith, all things that are worthy to fight for. This is the "land" that pirates seek. They live on the water as this is the fastest way to get from "land" to "land." And the "land" represents the riches that are needed to fulfill the destiny.

To live by someone else's rules, the "kings" is following the world and the ways that it promotes. Being subject to the harshness of rules created by marketing, advertising and the "group think" of society leaves one devoid of your own thoughts and beliefs. Subject yourself to your own thoughts, the beliefs that you have forged through fear and trembling. Take this advice with caution. To follow the ideals of "Pirate Mike" will only put you on the radar screen of those that would "steal your dream," "steal your passion," "steal your life." You will not become a pirate but simply making the choice to do so. Living the dream is more than a decision. It is a way of life; it is not easy to do those things which go against the common wisdom of others (kings). I have lived 38 years as a pirate, and I still find myself in fear of taking chances, of sailing off into the horizon. And I do this every day; you would think that it would get easier.

Once you hit the "radar screen," ships will be dispatched to intercept you. Their task will be to stop you from arriving on "land." They know if you get there you WILL get the rewards of what you seek. Not everyone is happy about others achieving their dreams. If you achieve yours that makes them feel insignificant and shows that they have not arrived at theirs. Know they will kill you, and take whatever treasure you have already found and achieved. Does this not make them thieves as well?

Know this if you venture out passed your comfort zone on a daily basis and subject yourself only to God, and not the "kings" of this world you will be a Pirate. You will begin your day putting on the war paint and drawing your sword at any that stand between you and your dreams. Do not draw your sword in jest, only as a matter of life and death. Once out of its sheath it is lethal and will force others to draw a line and come against you.

A smart pirate is quiet, takes only what he and his companions need and buries the rest for a future time. Keep accurate maps of where your treasure is. Train your companions, bring value to them, and show them the "way." A strong leader is always respected and many times feared and loved at the same time.

A pirate's life is dangerous, and is constantly changing. I embrace the change. I embrace sailing into the horizon. I do not need to know everything, for what I do know is how to set the sails to the wind, and to weather the storms. The other things like collecting the treasure need no manual or introduction. I feel many times that a warriors life is shorter, but if it means being fulfilled and satisfied than bring it on. I apologize to no one for my life, and the treasures it has brought. I wait for no one. I have lived strong, and will fight for myself and others that find themselves under my direction or on my ship.

My ship has set its course; the wind has found her sails. She is bound for port. I am heading for land to plunder what is needed for me and my crew. I fear for those that would try to stop me. I will bring to my crew what they need, and desire. Yes a pirate's life is good.

Once a pirate, always a pirate, I have answered my own question. Yes now to horizon it is…

The ramblings of Pirate Mike…

"In the artificial world of his cities and towns, man often forgets the true nature of his planet. The sense of all these things comes to him most clearly in the course of a long ocean voyage, when he watches day after day the receding rim of the horizon, ridged and furrowed by waves… And then, as never on land, he knows the truth that his world is a water world, a planet dominated by its covering mantle of ocean, in which the continents are but transient intrusions of land above the all-encircling sea. – Rachel Carson

Rachel Louise Carson (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964) was an American
marine biologist and nature writer whose writings are often credited with launching the global environmental movement. ²

¹
Krzysztof Wilczy--ski "History of Piracy" http://www.piratesinfo.com/

² http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Carson