May The Wind Always Be In Your Sails

My husband did not like to travel. The only trips he would make, grudgingly, were with or to family. Except once, and that was because it was his idea. He had a life-time love of boats and boating. When he heard our neighbors talk about their wonderful week in Maine on the schooner Lewis R. French he suggested that we do that, too. Anytime someone suggests a trip to me, I am ready to pack a bag and go. I was thrilled that he actually wanted to go somewhere and do something different. I considered it, too, to be a fabulous photo opportunity, and it certainly was. Four days on this historic (1871) wind powered vessel cruising around the islands of Maine and eating lots of lobster and other delicacies in near perfect summer weather was totally idyllic. The memories of that trip are among the very few that, sadly, include my husband, so that makes them even more special. This image, also a multi award winner, was taken the first day out. It sort of makes me think of some old Currier and Ives prints. It makes me hope that one day again we can plan and actually take trips again rather than having to live our current "Groundhog Day" lives because of a virus that has yet to be tamed. I am glad that I have learned to live each day without looking too far into the future for my pleasure because I would surely be grieving the loss of visits from my grandchildren in July and worried about whether or not there will be a family Christmas this year in California. What will travel be like when I feel free to do so again? So, for now, I have minimalist dreams of places to go and things to see and do. And every day I give thanks for a new day in which I can still hope to see even these little dreams come true. They say life is a journey, a trip. I totally agree. Like all journeys, the passage can become rough and there may be needs for detours or decisions about what fork in the road to take. But the good news is that I am still on the journey and I may still be able to knock a few more buckets off my list.