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A Fresh Look at Life’s Priorities
Stripped of unnecessary stuff, overscheduled days and endless ‘have to’s’, the sea beckons a fresh look at life’s priorities. Here, one might find new meaning, clarity of purpose, and a deeper self-understanding.
Light and Water’s Mood
Morning light slips into the berth, followed by cotton candy pinks. Soon, the night’s deep navy cedes to azure. The day begins. Wind and current decide the water’s mood—playful rocking, ferocious rolling, or gentle bobbing. At the stern, the flag may lay quiet, flap lazily, or whip with vigor. The choice is out of your hands. Yet the waves provide a metaphor for change—letting go of what no longer serves, bringing wants and needs into sharper focus.
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Simple Rituals at Anchor
Coffee perks and steaming mugs come to the cockpit. NYTimes puzzles and a scan of daily newsfeeds intermingle with pauses to toggle off the anchor light and appreciate the dawn. Conversation happens but is not required; the presence of a partner is enough. The day’s agenda casually forms with generous permission to simply ‘be.’ My have-to’s transform into want-to’s: I want a safe, clean, and tidy boat. I want to prepare and enjoy a tasty meal from ample provisions. I want to read, write, think, and maybe learn something new, not necessarily in that order and certainly not on a rigid schedule.
The Lagoon Awakens
All is not solitude and quiet. Energy rises in the lagoon as schools of fish boil the surface—jumping to feed or leaping to escape being devoured. Brown noddies swoop in for their share, breaking the silence with their chatter. The morning feeding frenzy surrounds the boat. Like extras from Hitchcock’s The Birds, the noddies eventually flock to the pulpit, the lifelines, and the dinghy, leaving behind uneaten carcasses and other ‘presents.’ There will be scrubbing to do, but the spectacle of it all outweighs the mess.
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Rhythms of the Island
The island wakes too. Tour boats, dinghies, and dive boats move across the lagoon. A deeper horn signals an arriving supply vessel or cruise ship. Weekend mornings bring out local men and women in wakas, sometimes training, sometimes racing, sometimes paddling for the joy of it.
Everyday Beauty
Every day brings sameness and difference, the routine and the unexpected. Old rituals take on new color in new places. Life is lived in the back and forth, where moments of balance and beauty call for celebration.