Setting Sail for Manhood
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 07/16/2009 at 12:44 PM
Have you ever heard of Zac Sunderland? You will now. That's because this morning Zac became the youngest person in history to sail around the world alone. The LA Times reports:
Zac Sunderland, who left Marina del Rey 13 months ago with a bold ambition to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone, returned to complete that quest today at 10:30 a.m.
Sunderland, 17, who was greeted offshore and escorted in by an armada of well-wishers aboard dozens of sailboats and fancy yachts, cleared the breakwater beneath a clearing sky and stepped ashore at Fisherman's Village in bright sunshine.
There, hundreds had gathered to meet a teenager from Thousand Oaks who, many are saying, "left as a boy and came back a man."
According to the Zac Sunderland official website:
A year and a half ago, he had a dream to sail around the world. It would have been easy to dismiss such a far fetched fantasy, but Zac took his own money, earned like most kids from summer jobs, and bought a 36 foot sailboat. He named his boat Intrepid. His parents had hoped he would find something that would create a fire in him, a passion that would direct him away from all the negative and harmful influences that are so prevalent in our society, but even they were stunned by the scope of his dreams and desires.
It's no coincidence that Zac, who was 16 when he began his voyage, was able to accomplish such a feat. He had logged more than 15,000 hours (that nearly two years worth of hours) sailing before he undertook this challenge. His dedication to a long term goal stands in stark contrast to that of many of his peers, who twitter and text in an instant gratification world.
In their article "Becoming Men: Feats of our Forefathers," Alex and Brett Harris note how a propensity to take on big challenge at a young age has historically been indicative of impact later in adulthood:
It is no coincidence that the same Samuel Adams who organized the Boston Tea Party at age 51 wrote his master's thesis in defense of the people's liberties at age 21.
It is no coincidence that David Farragut, who became the U.S. Navy's first Admiral at age 65, was given command of his first ship at age 12.
It is no coincidence that Alexander Hamilton, who became our nation's first Secretary of the Treasury at age 34, was a clerk in a counting house at age 13.
We can learn a lot from our forefathers. They lived in a time very different from our own, but their example couldn't be more relevant. In a world that is looking to our generation for direction and leadership and finding a bunch of kidults, the commitment to do hard things as young adults is a much-needed revolution.
And indeed, Zac, a home school student and Christian, identifies himself as part of Alex and Brett's "Do Hard Things" generation. Today, at 10:30 a.m., his sacrifice and fortitude paid off. Zac Sunderland has done something no one his age has ever done. Who knows what he could do by age 65?
1. Irene M. said the following at 1:48 PM on Jul 16:
Inspiring story. I've been looking through Jessica Watson's blog (a 16 year old Australian hoping to break Sunderland's record) and the preparation alone sounds exhausting. It's awe inspiring what these kids are able to accomplish.
Congratulations to Sunderland on accomplishing the possimpible.
2. Laura K. said the following at 2:37 PM on Jul 16:
I read about him around a month ago--truly inspiring. Thanks for posting.
3. BDB said the following at 3:01 PM on Jul 16:
Perhaps he will be the next Steve Fossett.
4. Ted Slater said the following at 3:18 PM on Jul 16:
BDB -- the next Steve Fossett? Let's hope not. Mr. Fossett died crashing a plane he was flying.
5. Dr. Ransom (E. Stephen Burnett) said the following at 3:20 PM on Jul 16:
Just a reminder ... I keep thinking here, it's great and all, but one doesn't have to break a world record or have a big Experience to be a man. Perhaps we ought to beware of overcorrecting for the oft-perceived (and real) problem of male complacency? Excuse my cynicism, but it takes more than a Big Quest to voyage around the world to become a man. This is beginning to seem a little too John Eldredge-y.
God can be just as glorified by quiet, nonassuming, non-record-breaking sorts of men laboring in dull offices to support His Church and their own families, as He can be by guys sailing around the world or "Doing Hard Things."
6. Bryce said the following at 3:29 PM on Jul 16:
BDB: Okay. After reading through and considering a somewhat serious article, that totally cracked me up.
7. Suzanne Hadley said the following at 3:43 PM on Jul 16:
Dr. Ransom,
I didn't intend to draw the conclusion you mention here. I only meant to show that Zac stands out in a world of teens that often fritter away their time on the instant. I didn't mean to say that his level of accomplishment should be the standard.
8. BDB said the following at 3:48 PM on Jul 16:
Well, Ted (#4) and Dr. Ransom (#5), I intended to post without comment.
But now that you bring it up, I have noticed that some of the people who "do big things" die in the attempt.
To Dr. Ransom's point, when I first read John Eldridge's Wild at Heart, he was waxing poetic about his friend, who died rock climbing, thus leaving his children orphans.
I couldn't help but think: he was rock climbing in an unsafe manner. I've been rock climbing and was properly roped up.
That's not to minimize the sacrifice made by our soldiers in uniform. Then again, dying while goofing off is not the same as being attacked by an IED.
The U.S. military has gone to great lengths to reduce unnecessary risks. Body Armor is vastly better than Vietnam, for example. That's part of the reason casualty levels are so much lower in Iraq and Afghanistan. Similarly, the push towards using drone aircraft by the Air Force is a deliberate choice to put fewer pilots at risk. Air Force officers I've spoken with still vividly remember U.S. pilots being held by Vietnam, and not being able to get them back. Again, the reason the U.S. has such fantastic downed-pilot recovery systems in place is to reduce the risk to the pilot after being shot down.
What was interesting about the news coverage of the sailing teenager was that he had no plans to attend college. Uh-oh. Unlike Fossett, who attended Stanford and then worked for IBM and Deloitte & Touche, what is this kid going to do without an education? Surf?
I also thought briefly about the thru-hiking on the Appalacian Trail. Some of them get so used to being alone that they never re-integrate with society, and just spend their life off hiking alone.
Like Fossett, Steve Irwin was remembered for dying while "doing what he loved." Is that a good standard?
Risk is an interesting concept. I firmly believe in safety through skill and taking calculated risks. The fastest I've ever driven on my own is 142 mph (228 kph) which might seem inherently unsafe...but I did it while strapped into a NASCAR with full safety equipment on a largely empty superspeedway. It was a blast.
Sometimes the fool who rushes in gets the job done.
9. Jonathon said the following at 3:58 PM on Jul 16:
Dr. Ransom,
Respectfully disagree. I understand and agree with your main point, that to become a man one doesn't have to set a world record. I disagree however with where you say, "God can be just as glorified by quiet, nonassuming, non-record-breaking sorts of men laboring in dull offices to support His Church and their own families, as He can be by guys sailing around the world or "Doing Hard Things." Sure, if he calls you to work in a dull office you can glorify him by doing it well. But for male initiation into manhood - it should be big, it should be hard, it should be adventure, it should be risky. Don't geld the stallion.
10. BDB said the following at 4:20 PM on Jul 16:
Bryce (#6) - really, I wasn't trying to be funny, though humor often happen without trying.
If you read through the entire Steve Fossett article, you see that he also started out adventuring young - finishing his Eagle Scout at 13 (compared to 18 for me). He went on to substantial business success before beginning bigger and bigger adventures.
There was a fairly recent plane crash that sadly affected a local family. I know people who knew them. But I was struck by the conversation afterwards: they were immediately talking about how they had flown with the guy, and how he really took a risky approach. And now his family was dead.
If this teenager had capsized and drowned (which does happen when people attempt the around-the-world sailing trip), we'd instead be seeing his parents arrested for letting him take the risk in the first place.
Americans have this interesting relationship with risk: when it works, you get a medal. When it doesn't work, a court-martial.
A retired military person I know talks about how the Soviets were terrified to fight a war with the U.S. because, like the Soviets, the U.S. had all these complicated military plans and drilled on those plans. But when it came to an actual conflict, the local commander might just throw those plans away and do something completely unpredictible.
And if it worked, he got a medal and promoted!
11. Sean said the following at 4:46 PM on Jul 16:
I'm thankful for the sober comments offered here, as I reacted in a similar way.
What the kid did was inspiring up to a point. But imagine if this became the natural course of his life, living to break records and receive adulation and glory (NOT saying that this was his motivation here. Just pointing to a danger).
I think there needs to be a healthy balance of "Do Hard Things" + "Don't Waste Your Life."
Like "Don't Waste Your Life Doing Hard Things of No Eternal Significance."
Let's take the example of a guy like Zac and let it challenge us in the area of missions, conformity to Christ, and loving, sacrificial, *biblical* manhood."
(And let's pray Zac becomes just as dedicated and passionate towards Christ, using his dedication to, maybe, be a missionary to the most unreachable of places. The kid's definitely got heart).
12. kaj said the following at 5:18 PM on Jul 16:
BDB, Re: Comment #8:
As long as you actually hike the Appalachian Trail (or other adventurous equivalent), and do not use it as a cover-up for having an affair with an Argentine woman, you should do just fine. (:
13. Ted Slater said the following at 5:30 PM on Jul 16:
I read from someone who met him this morning that his first meal there in Marina del Rey was ... In-N-Out Burger! :-)
14. BDB said the following at 6:09 PM on Jul 16:
@13 >>his first meal there in Marina del Rey was ... In-N-Out Burger! :-)<<
Well, of course it was...this is Southern California.
15. Keith said the following at 11:38 PM on Jul 16:
Several thoughts...
Firstly, choosing to do hard things when you are young doesn't guarantee that you will have a successful adult life. Many people mature early in life, work hard, and remain in poverty their entire lives. Of course I am not saying don't work hard, but what I am saying is that one shouldn't promise the world because even the hardest working people often don't succeed.
Success doesn't start with hard work; it starts with prayer. It starts by sacrificing that time you could be using to work and instead using it to pray and seek God's will. And once His will is discovered, to only work at doing it, and doing it His way, and not yours....
Working hard and taking on responsibilities is good; but taking on responsibilities that God hasn't assigned is wrong. Just going out there and working hard at something great isn't going accomplish something if God hasn't willed to bless that work.
16. Dr. Ransom (E. Stephen Burnett) said the following at 7:34 AM on Jul 17:
And Suzanne (no. 3), I'm very sorry to have implied that you did. I didn't catch that in your post at all.
Maybe I'm reading between the lines too much, or stepping up to rebut thoughts that haven't even been voiced (or perceived), but I see this happening if a boy's/man's emphasis (as in Eldredge's books) incidentally becomes Having an Excellent Adventure rather than Serving God in Order to Delight in and Glorify Him.
Sunderland may have done that; I'm not as familiar with the whole story to say one way or the other. But what I am familiar with is the phenomenon of Christian overcorrection.
In this instance, the problem: guys aren't behaving like guys, they're remaining "adultiscents," playing video games five hours every day past age 35, utterly failing to get out, court a girl and settle down, much less help build Christ's church. That's a very real problem.
Yet I don't see the solution being in mere Encouraging Guys to be Men, but pointing them to the ultimate Man and His Word. He might ask His adopted sons to "do hard things" like sail around the world, climb a mountain, whatever, but those external "manly" adventures shouldn't be equated with Biblical manhood.
That was my issue with Eldredge's stuff -- too much emphasis on running around naked with wild buffalo or whatever other externally "manly" things, and not nearly enough emphasis on being a Christlike man inside. And I fear that without directly rebutting such views, they'll go on unchecked, blending in with good teaching about rejecting adultiscence because of many people's tendency to hold two contradicting sets of ideas in their minds at the same time.
That's why I believe Jonathon (no. 9) has partly misconstrued my view, but I believe after my below clarification we may disagree anyway.
This is the part we agree upon -- that a true man who is seeking to base his life on Christ will find his place not just out in the wild, wild wilderness, but perhaps in environs that appear less externally "manly," such as an office, a small business, a coffee shop, a pizza joint.
In that case, I'm not a man myself because I never had a Big Excellent Adventure "Initiation." I didn't even walk at my college graduation because my folks and I went to Disney World.
Got a verse for the make-it-a-big-risky-adventure assertion? I don't have a verse against it either, of course, nor would I want to find one, because I don't much care either way. Each to his own with this; it's a neutral issue.
But raising an eyebrow -- as I do -- at the idea that if a guy doesn't have a Big Excellent Adventure for "initiation" into Manhood doesn't mean I'm trying to geld the stallion or that I'm an egalitarian who wants all the little boys in the class to be still and quiet like all the little girls, etc.
What I do see in Scripture is mandates for both men and women to be in a body of believers whose members encourage, serve and teach each other and help them grow to be more like Christ. That's where real manhood develops -- not just big adventures in the woods or on the ocean or climbing a mountain. Manhood is grown in a community with men of God, often older, encouraging you, teaching you, sometimes rebuking you with Grace, and always pointing you toward the ultimate Man -- Christ the God-Man who along with (primarily) dying to save His bride, the Church, (secondarily) set the example of how a true man should behave.
With that conscious emphasis, and intentional rejection of the chest-thumping Tarzan-yelling external kinds of "manhood" alone, Christian men can better avoid overcorrecting one way or the other, and strengthen their focus on Christ.
So in summary: I'm not against "Doing Hard Things." I just think the slogan/mindset needs to be clarified, perhaps with two extra words at the end: Do Hard Things for Christ.
I hope that clarified my perspective a bit. And almost all this has little to do with Sunderland's Big Excellent Adventure. All the best to him, and I hope that -- despite apparent media ignorance (intentional?) of his background, Christ will be glorified!
17. Darren said the following at 11:28 AM on Jul 17:
He obtained his dream at age 17. I guess its all down hill from there. Like many varsity athletes and star academics, Zac can say that he "peaked" at 17. Maybe now, he can rest and do the "boring" stuff, like get an education, get married and raise children.
18. Ted Slater said the following at 11:56 AM on Jul 17:
Darren (#17) -- not sure if you're being silly or being cynical. Of course marriage and family are not "boring."
The truth is that there's a lot more Zac can do in his life; he hasn't peaked.
George Washington became official surveyor for Culpepper County, Virginia (5.3 million acres) when he was 17, and by age 23 he was Commander in Chief of the entire Virginia Militia. He didn't peak at 17, or even 23.
David Farragut was given command of his first ship at age 12. He went on to become the U.S. Navy's first Admiral. He didn't peak in his teens.
Alexander Hamilton was a clerk in a counting house at age 13, and was publishing political pamphlets beginning when he was 19. He went on to become the primary author of the Federalist Papers.
Young adults can do great things. And they can go on to do greater things. Indeed, a great young adulthood is the foundation for a great older adulthood.
19. Darren said the following at 1:05 PM on Jul 17:
Cynical or Silly? Maybe a little of both.
I'm sorry, Zac did an amazing thing. But, its hardly something I would call "great", praiseworthy of even something that I would hold out as an example for kids to follow (were they old enough).
One interesting connection between all of Ted's examples, Washington, Hamilton and Farragut. All of these guys were making a living.
I don't mean to be a grumpy older guy. First of all, I'm not that old. But, I do think that there is a prevalent stream of thought in todays culture that you should pursue your dreams and you pursue the job of your dreams no matter what the cost. This is all to elevate our lives from our otherwise "dreary existance" and find some meaning.
Unforunately, most of us don't get the job of our dreams, or the even the life of our dreams. yet, this search for our "dreams" often lead people to live restless and unfulfilled lives. People unable to commit in their relationships because they are looking for the dream "spouse." People moving from job to job, because their work is boring and they feel like their life is going nowhere. Real life is much more mundane and less heroic.
All of this begs the question, "What is truly heroic?" When I think of heroic, I think of my father, someone who lived through a war, immigrated to a new country with his wife and two infants and worked two and three jobs to make a living.
When I think of heroic today, I think of those kids who are born in less than ideal circumstances and who overcome it all, helping support their family, taking loans to go into the local state college and then get a job, maybe becoming a doctor so they can serve their local community.
I certainly applaud Zac, and maybe he will discover a cure for cancer, or maybe he will become president or do something amazing. I wish him the best in his life's pursuits. Nevertheless, as a Christian I cannot hold Zac out as a model for Christian youth.
I am reminded of the Rich Young Ruler. He was a spiritual all-star if you've ever seen one. He did it all. When he came to Jesus, he no doubt, thought that he was going to be told to do something great for God. But, instead, Jesus told him to sell all that he had to follow him. Jesus defined a new paradigm, not based on great accomplishments, or on being a better follower of the law, but on giving it all up to obtain something eternal and something beautiful-a relationship with Jesus. Likewise, when we follow the Lord, we should know that loving him, doesn't mean necessarily that we will do "great things," but instead it may mean giving up everything for him and THAT is the greatest thing, the GREATEST thing that we can ever do.
20. Adaeze said the following at 1:56 PM on Jul 17:
This is a great example of someone being motivated to do great things. Not to belittle his efforts I can't help but feel that in order for something to be great it has to aid someone else. I would have really loved it if Zac had gotten people to sponsor his trip and donate the proceeds to some charity. However I can't deny that his feat in and of itself could very well motivate other teens to 'do hard things.' At least he didn't spend that year and a half Myspacing.
21. Afton said the following at 3:26 PM on Jul 20:
Hmm, I've seem to read this differently than the majority of the commenters on here. What I thought when I read this was that here was a young man who knew what he wanted to do and worked for it. At a young age (I mean, he must have been an early teen when he started this) he has apparently learned the value of hard work, stick-to-itness, persistence that WILL come in handy later on in life. This is quite a difference from the young man I saw at the mall the other day loitering about with his friends, wearing very tight jeans, swearing loudly (with little children around)and talking on his cell phone.
22. The G said the following at 4:12 PM on Aug 27:
Related: global record set
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8223760.stm