Last week Mary Margaret wrote about our love of the desert. One of her points was that this love is so ironic since we mostly live on the water and we are so passionate about our life on the sea. We simply dread the day when we can no longer sail the seven seas and must return to living again on the land. In preparation for that eventual day, each time we return to the US to visit family and friends, we research and explore options. Most options just do not excite us much. This is understandable since our current lifestyle is so exciting and satisfying. Just about each day living on Leu Cat is an adventure and when it is not, we simple weigh anchor and sail off in search of the next adventure that is waiting for us at the next anchorage. Plus the passage to the next anchorage is an adventure in itself.

In addition to seldom being bored, living on a boat with the goal of sailing around the world also offers a number of other aspects that cements our love of the sea. Such aspects include having to be in tune with nature since the wind and seas dominate our attention and various courses of action that present themselves to us. Another wonderful aspect of cruising is that you have plenty of time to contemplate life: both what has transpired in the past and what awaits us around the next corner. This contemplation occurs while we are passage-making since sailing across the seas presents the most remarkable environment in which to let the mind wander. The swells cresting the ocean; the flying fish that burst out of the water and graceful sail over the waves only to disappear again into their mysterious environs; the clouds drifting overhead in a constantly changing kaleidoscope of shapes; the dynamic wind which puffs from shifting directions and with variable force; the daily rise and fall of the sun and the nightly swirling of the stars as they move overhead. It all is a constant reminder that we are just one of the many creatures that make up this world we share and we are so trivial in the context of this universe that we live in. It also lets us put life and what it presents into a perspective that we never envisioned while living on land.

Before cruising we were so focused on the daily rigors of life: work, bills, and the interactions with kids, friends and neighbors. At times it seemed so complex and busy that we lost focus on the really important stuff. These included such things as letting our loved ones know how much we love them, letting friends know how important they are to us, and keeping in perspective how fragile life is and how quickly things can change due to forces that we cannot control. All things that we took for granted since our lives were so busy and impacted.

Once we started sailing, the clocked slowed down, allowing time to take measure of the important things and to really appreciate how fortunately we are. ..

If you can't tell, I am now alone right now since Mary Margaret has flown back to San Francisco with Christina to be with Heather and to attend our "soon-to-be" daughter-in-law's shower. I miss my life-mate and have time to ramble on and on. I appreciate your patience in letting me ruminate and next week the blog will return to normal since Mary Margaret will be back and will be writing it once again.