✍️ By Riaan M. Odendaal | The Daily Verdict – 13 August 2025
Some people say they’re with you —
but secretly hope you don’t arrive.
They say they want the harbour,
but sabotage the voyage.
Rowing with one hand,
and quietly drilling holes with the other.
Because if the dream succeeds,
they’ll have to face what they never built.
And if you arrive —
they can no longer blame the sea.
Some crew bring anchors in their pockets.
Some throw ropes when you’re drowning.
Some watch the sails tear and say nothing.
The hardest part of leadership
isn’t steering through the storm —
it’s learning who actually wants to make land.
Not all resistance is loud.
Sometimes it’s the silence
when you call for help.
The smile that never reaches the eyes.
The agreement that never becomes action.
It took me years to learn this:
Sometimes you’ve outgrown people
who still think they’re your equals on the boat.
And sometimes —
the bravest thing you can do
is leave quietly
and row alone.
Because the only thing worse
than sailing alone
is sailing with ghosts
who hope you sink.
