Vi er ikke patienter, men crew-members
Sådan indledte Mikkel Anthonisen til os der blev siddende efter morgenmaden. Det er sigende for det menneskesyn og stemning, der er på båden – at mennesker er mere end deres sygdom eller diagnose.
I den forbindelse snakkede vi om, at det opleves mere som agens og empowerment, at tage aktiv del i tjanserne på en båd som Oceans of Hope end nogle af de stereotypiske forestillinger nogle måske har mht. mennesker med sklerose.
I dag havde vi en tiltrængt hviledag på Sejerø, hvor vi har haft tid til bare at slappe lidt af i det gode solskinsvejr og lære hinanden bedre at kende. Vi har blandt andet haft gode snakke omkring, at det er okay at begå fejl, men vigtigheden af så at lære af sine fejl.
Desuden har vi talt om, at man ikke behøver tage det personligt hvis der er en af deltagerne der påpeger noget man har glemt at gøre, men som er vigtigt (f.eks. at tage redningsvest på – eller møde til tiden. Pointen er, at vi er på en rejse sammen, og at vi passer på hinanden. Skibet skal føres sikkert - så kan vi netop komme ud i verden og ind i livet, som Oceans of Hope’s motto lyder.
We Are Not Patients – We Are Crew Members
That was how Mikkel Anthonisen opened the conversation with those of us who stayed behind after breakfast. It says a great deal about the atmosphere on board and the way people are viewed here: we are more than our illness or diagnosis. We talked about how taking an active role in the daily tasks on board Oceans of Hope creates a real sense of agency and empowerment, challenging some of the stereotypes people may have about living with multiple sclerosis.
Today was a much-needed rest day on Sejerø. We enjoyed the beautiful sunshine, had time to relax, and got to know each other even better. Among other things, we had some great conversations about how it's okay to make mistakes—as long as we learn from them.
We also talked about not taking it personally if another crew member points out something you've forgotten to do but that is important—for example, putting on your life jacket or showing up on time. The point is that we are on this journey together, and we look out for one another. The boat must be sailed safely so that we can truly get out into the world and into life, just as Oceans of Hope's motto says.
