Lonely and lost at sea….

I really feel for the family and friends of the 238 soles who have jumped from ships to end their pain and loneliness over the last 16 years. The latest was from Queen Mary 2 over the weekend. Nobody, really can say what makes a person feel so desperate to take their own life, but jumping from a ship fully clothed in Winter is a sure way to end a life.

Cruising is a happy time for most. People cruise for many different reasons and a cure for loneliness is one of those reasons.

When I worked on cruise ships the number of widowed people was and still is huge. They want to travel and see the world. Many people are cruising to feel close to their lost loved ones and want to revisit the places they went together before their partner passed. Or they are visiting the places their partner really wanted to go to and didn’t get the chance to see.

It is also a nice way to meet up with other lonely people as there are events organised by the social host/hostess for singles to meet one another and join in for some fun, chat & laughter or just to have dinner with other people in the same boat (also alone I mean). I know it’s a ship but there was a pun intended there.

I have met many people who are taking a cruise for the first time having found out they have a life-threatening disease. I have also met people who years later are still cruising having been cured of their life-threatening disease. Who always advise the people they meet to live every day like it’s your last.

I really feel sad now having written this as the officers, crew, passengers, and all people looking forward to a cruise will have read about this tragic situation and hopefully realise how precious life is. In the words of Mark Twain remember to;

‘Dance like nobody´s watching.

Love like you´ve never been hurt.

Sing like nobody´s listening.

Live like it´s heaven on earth.’