First before all... Below is not my own writing ..Taken from ALAM's Fb post by an unknown writter... This is such a great one :) happy reading

WE WERE SAILORS

If a young man walks up to me one day and tells me that he is contemplating a career as a seaman, there will be many, many things that I shall tell him.
First of all, I shall tell him that there are neither great adventures nor any more new lands to discover, but there will be experiences that will stay in his heart forever.
I shall tell him that the modern sailor has to go to school first, so that he can learn how to use a spanner instead of a sword, the GPS instead of a sextant.
I shall tell him that he has to start off his sea career as a cadet, the lowest form of life onboard.
I shall tell him that he might have to wash the toilets and scrub the floors, and cleaning will become one of the most important skills in his sea life.
I shall tell him about the orientation games onboard. About new cadets
Having to stand at the forward station, shivering in the wind, with the instruction to look out for the equator line that will run across the sea.
About new cadets having to be shaved bald as an initiation ceremony for crossing the equator for the first time.
About being asked to get the keys for starting the main engine when there is no such thing.
About being presented with fake electricity and water bills for his lodging onboard.
And most of all, about the enthusiasm of the older hands at ensuring that the new kid gets drunk and loses his virginity at the first port of call.
And if he smiles and asks me about the women around the world, I shall tell him that there are different types of seamen:
There are those who abstain and tell you that they abstain.
There are those who indulge and tell you that they abstain.
There are those who indulge and tell you stories that will make you cream in your pants.
And of course, there are those who abstain and yet tell you that they are the Don Juan of the seven seas.

Salt of the sea
And then I shall tell him that there is only one type of seamen as far as shore people are concerned, and it is a stigma that we all have to carry with us.
I shall tell him to forget the earthly pleasures, for there will not be much. Instead, I shall tell him about working in the engine room at 45 C.
About cleaning the sludge tanks, the bilges, the scavenge spaces of the engine and, to top it off, the sewage plant.
I shall tell him not to go into the air-conditioned control room when he's covered in sweat.
And when he does go in for breaks, I shall tell him to first make a cup of coffee for the chief engineer, before making one for himself. I shall tell him to swallow salt tablets every day, so that he does not dehydrate and drop senseless while working.
I shall tell him to take good care of his health and his hygiene. He'll have to wash his own clothes because mama will not be there.
I shall tell him to sleep when he can, for when the alarms sound in the middle of the night, he'll have to jump up and run down to the engine room and be ready for action immediately.
And I shall tell him that the alarm sounds often.
I shall tell him that he will meet some good mentors who will guide him in his work and in life, and I shall tell him that he will meet some seniors who might scream and throw spanners at him for making mistakes.
I shall tell him that sometimes things can be so hard that he'll feel like crying, and I shall tell him that he can only cry in his cabin.

I shall tell him that he will make many close friends onboard. Some last for just that ship, some longer.
I shall tell him that he will learn to trust his friend with his life and the friend will give him the same compliment in return.

Sweet rewards and sacrifices
I shall tell him that if he makes it through the first ship safely, the moment of signing off from the first ship will be one of the sweetest moments of his life.
And I shall tell him time will fly, and soon it will be time for him to sign on another ship.
I shall tell him about the joy of signing off and going home. About the joy of having two months of vacation to spend with loved ones.
About the joy of having money to spend, saved from the toils at sea.
And then I shall tell him about the fear and worry as the leave finishes and the money start to run out.
I shall tell him about the concern that the company does not call him back for another contract, and yet,
I shall also tell him about the heavy sinking feeling when the phone rings and it's time for him to pack his suitcase.
I shall tell him about the crying girlfriend, and about the worrying mother.
I shall also tell him about the empty bank account and the sea time that he needs.
I shall tell him that it is a career of rapid rise in rank and earnings.
That he will have plenty of savings compared to his peers ashore.
But I shall also tell him about the sacrifices that come with it.
I shall tell him about being onboard during the festive seasons, and special occasions.
I shall tell him of being far away at sea during emergencies at home, and the pain of being at sea during the birth of his first child.

Back to shore
Then I shall tell him about the mid life crisis at sea.
I shall tell him about feeling lost whenever he comes back ashore, of the worries that he'll have to sail until he's old and knowing nothing except the life onboard.
I shall tell him about coming home and seeing his child has grown and the feeling when his child call him "uncle".
I shall then tell him about the decision to stop sailing and the doubts about starting work ashore.
About being lost in office politics, about the harsh realities of shore life and job security, about survival not of the most able but the most suave.
And I shall tell him about missing the simplicities at sea, about missing sea breeze.
About missing the circular unimpeded horizon.
About missing the excitement of the tossing seas during a storm.
About missing the tranquil beauty of waters so clam that the sky and the sea all merge into one.
I shall tell him that once we get salt in between our ears, it takes a long duration of shore life to dilute it.
And lastly, I shall tell him that it is not the best career finance wise or in terms of reputation.
But I shall also tell him that it is a decent way for a man to make a living and he will become a decent and honest man until the day he comes back ashore.
Then, I shall ask him to think more than twice before joining as a seafarer and than give him all my blessings and wish him bon voyage.

~Author Unknown