Sailing is like writing because:
You
need a destination, but often the best part of the voyage happens when
you get off course—assuming you don't end up on the rocks. We write to
get to the end of the story, but often we don't know what that will look
like, until we get there.
Getting
there is not just half the fun, it's all the fun; sailing is about
enjoying the moment, being completely in the here and now, not rushing toward some arbitrary
goal (if you were in a rush, you'd have a power boat, or an airplane!).
It's something people all over the world have been doing for thousands of
years, in order to explore, learn, and reach out—it is still fun to do, and nearly impossible to get to be an "expert" at!
Most
people think it is easy, even if they've never done it. It's enviable, but somehow people still think they could easily do it, too, if they just had the time...Wish I had a
dollar for every time someone said, "Gosh, that must be such a fun life,
traveling and living on a boat." Sure it is, sometimes, but it is hard work a lot of the time.
Those
who don't sail don't "get" it—and that's okay. It's impossible to
explain what's so darn great about it, if you don't experience it
yourself, in just the right way.
Sailing, like writing, uses your body and mind for an activity that
often taxes them, but combines and unites them in unique ways that can
sometimes be transcendent—allowing us to glimpse what is eternal and
true.
We
are sailing north, and have gotten as far as the Santa Barbara Channel.
Tucked into Channel Islands harbor, we are awaiting the proper winds to
continue on our journey. This isn't like writer's block (which I don't
believe in), this is simply us being patient, and taking care to stay
safe (if you have all your eggs in one basket—watch that basket!).
You
almost never have to stop writing to save your life. In fact, sometimes
you have to write to save it. So that is one way that sailing is NOT
like writing.
Good news is, I did some writing today—and not just this blog post. I'll keep you updated on our travels.
hasta pronto!