I almost forgot that I held I kept few pieces of chocolates inside the fridge at the ship's bridge. Of course I love chocolates like everyone does. Even diabetic persons are watching for every opportunity to sneak some sweets anywhere and anytime they can despite the big "NO" from their doctors. Two days ago, our captain gave us (his navigating officers) a box of chocolate as a present. It was St. Nicholas's Day, the patron saint of sailors, so that's why he presented his three navigating officers these mouth-watering chocolates. It was nicely wrapped with ribbons laced around the package. I was the one who received the package but I did not opened it up until my fellow officer came at midnight to relieved me on my watch. So, that's it, two gents munching chocolates like kids in the middle of the night. Before I left the bridge, I pick few pieces from the box and put it in the fridge. It was not until today I realized that I still have those few pieces left. The ship is anchored in Bora Bora today, so while doing my bridge watch this morning, munching these few remaining chocolates was a good thing to let time move easily.

Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia about St. Nicholas:

Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and is often called upon by mariners who are in danger of drowning or being shipwrecked. In Germany survivors of shipwrecks traditionally brought patches of sailcloth to Saint Nicholas as votive offerings. According to one legend, as a young man Nicholas went to study in Alexandria and on one of his sea voyages from Myra to Alexandria he is said to have saved the life of a sailor who fell from the ship's rigging in a storm. In a colourful version of this legend, Nicholas saved the man on his voyage back from Alexandria to Myra and upon his arrival took the sailor to the church. At that time the previous bishop of the city had just died and the church fathers were instructed in a dream to choose for their next bishop a "man who conquers" (Greek: nikei). While the saint was praying, the loose-lipped sailor went around telling how courageously he was saved by the man Nikei-Laos, upon which the church elders had no choice but to elect Nicholas as their new bishop.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Website

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment Preview