Shouldn't we all take more time to think?
A Caribbean winter escape trip has become tradition in The Sailing Club, Inc.’s annual trip schedule.
However, this year sailing the waters between St. Martin, St. Barts and St. Kitts February 11 - 20 offered me (and a few others) more than warm sun and good sailing.
On Day Two, our three boats, two cats and one monohull, began the trip from St. Barts to St. Kitts with winds from the southwest. Prevailing or normal wind is from the northeast. This shift in wind caused chop… lots of chop. Further, the unfavorable winds extended the trip from six hours to nine hours.
Already feeling a bit under the weather due to some flu symptoms, I succumbed quickly to nausea. It’s a humbling experience to find yourself staring out to the horizon and totally useless to your crewmates for two days. By Day Four the normal winds returned, the sea calmed, and life was good, very good. But, the thoughts from those two days remained with me, and I share them here:
What views do you choose to remember?
Always be ready to experience something new… even if it is not a good experience. Some of life’s best lessons are taught under unpleasant, if not cruel, conditions. These lessons are what my father referred to as character-building and often help us to put the problems caused by social interactions, money, and outside forces into their proper place (minor issues).
Enjoy the moment. Life moves quickly. We often are so busy doing the work of each day that we don’t take the time to truly experience our lives. Being fully in the moment, taking in the scents, sounds, sights, and emotion all around us, takes practice. Important: you can choose what to absorb. Try to practice daily and build your mental memory box. There is often beauty among the chaos. Choose to remember the beauty.
When you're happy and you know it, go snorkeling.
Ignore advice that feels wrong. No matter how many people suggest you should be able to eat something without adverse effect, let your body decide when it is ready.
When you’re happy and you know it… go snorkeling! Time spent floating amid the quiet of sea life is relaxing and joyful. The sound produced when you chuckle into your snorkel is fantastic!
by Mary Ann Gordon
