Time and tide will wait for no man - Proverb for January 7

Our proverb for January 7 is "Time and tide will wait for no man".   Since time and tide are 2 things that man is not able to control, this proverb encourages us to make the most of the moment and not to wait for other opportunities or for better circumstances.  It encourages us to take life by the horns so to speak.

I have to admit that initially I didn't understand the reference to tide.  I didn't see how it related to the references to time and suspected it had something to do with sailer's from the days of old who had to take advantage of the tide of the sea.  After some research I learned that the "Tide" is not referencing the rising and falling of the sea but is a reference to a period of time or of an opportunity.  Seems this is not as common usage of this word anymore.

So this proverb is warning us again against procrastination and encouraging us to make the most of time and opportunity.