“Steady as She Goes!” is a nautical statement given usually by the Captain of a ship to the Helmsman to steer as needed to keep the ship on course. Of course, the ship is referred to as a she because it refers to the captain and the ship as if in a marriage. Most of what we do in life is a lot like this, working to keep the ship (our lives) on course. Whether we are taking classes to complete a degree or working toward advancement at work, reducing the change to a steady change and not extreme helps to make life a bit more tolerable.
When demands from work, home, and classes are pressing hard against the ship and time in each day grows shorter, it becomes very evident that the work of the Helmsman is a valuable one. First, we must recognize the simplicity of the command, Steady. When waves and winds hit the ship from various angles and strengths, knowing how to keep the work balanced becomes more difficult than in calm seas. Second, the word “goes” has much more meaning than we may first think. It isn’t to let the ship flounder where it may wish but rather keep focused upon the course. What direction are you heading? If you have stopped to think about that lately perhaps additional education is exactly the course where you would like to lead your ship.