He and his boat have seen everything: the really ugly sea, when God gets angry, and those long, red Mediterranean sunsets in which water is a mirror and world peace is your peace, and you realize that you are a drop in an eternal sea.
In the excerpt, the author reflects on the profound experiences of a sailor and his relationship with the sea. It describes the extreme and varied facets of the ocean, from its tempestuous fury to serene, breathtaking sunsets. These moments underscore the sailor's deep connection to nature and the elemental struggles that come with navigating its unpredictable waters.
The passage highlights a sense of humility and introspection, illustrating how the sailor comes to understand his place in the world. In witnessing the majestic and sometimes harsh realities of the sea, he recognizes the fleeting nature of life and his smallness within the vastness of existence. This duality of beauty and danger in the maritime world evokes a contemplative state, where one realizes their connection to something much larger than themselves.