Ships in the Night

So I’ve been learning about administrative distance and updated my first CCIE topic Administrative Distance. One thing I learn about was this phrase called “Ships in the Night”. So when I first saw this I paused, because it reminded me of a song from Mat Kearney.

Just people who pass each other by without truly connecting, missed opportunities and missed relationships. The expression highlights the idea of ships passing by each other in the night. Aware of each other but continue on their own path. I did some additional research on this phrase and found that its reference in The Theologian’s Tale from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

“Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing, Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness; So on the ocean of life, we pass and speak one another, Only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence.” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Tales of a Wayside Inn

It’s interesting that this phrase was incorporated within the technology but it makes sense as of a way of describing a simple way of coexistence within routing protocols. For me it’s a gentle reminder that we should’nt get so focused and let ships “people” pass us by. Be with friends, family, your partner, and live. ♥️