Changes in Lattitude......
01 July 2018
The passage from Galapagos to Marquesas was 18 days. As I mentioned before, it was a benign passage with great weather and good boat speed. But 18 days out of sight of land and even other boats is a long time. Our Iridium Go (since deceased) was a great tool for keeping in touch with friends and family. It enables us to send and receive emails at speeds slower than the old AOL dial-up. But text emails work fine. This is the fun side of email without spam, business stuff and bills.
Our email contact lists automatically loaded into the IridiumGo files. I used the time to make contact with several friends I haven't contacted for awhile. Richard Volmer replied, “This must be changing you as a human being.” Richard, you occupied a lot of those miles with that food for thought. My first reaction is that I haven't changed. Oh, that is just too easy.
John, my Zen Master told me we are dying a little every day. The French have a delightful expression, “petit mort.” John also shook his head about my training as an engineer. He said, “Russ, you have received a lot of education to think logically in a certain way. I want you to put that aside. You were born with all that you need to know and need to get back to that.”
Richard, I hope that is what I have been doing these past three years. I am no longer surrounded by media of any intensity to give me a “chartered experience” (borrowed heavily from Nick Hayes). Every experience is new and I strive to approach it with the eyes of a child. The people I meet are taken with the naive trusting of a child. I am seldom disappointed. I have always been surrounded by wonderful, loving people. Perhaps now I see it and not take it for granted.
There are no longer any strange lands. Wherever we land feels comfortable. I don't feel like a kid the first day of school. The different has become familiar (my kids have always told me I am different. C'est vrai!)
I lost both of my parents this year. I can think of no better venue for me to reflect on their lives, their love and importance in my life. Night stars intensify the loss but also bring me closer to Mom and Dad.
Yes Richard, I have changed as a human being. Hard to put it to words but I sure hope it continues.