I have been asking myself these questions all my life, however I have not fully been listening if the answers have been coming. I have been running around taking up my simple causes, working full time, raising two kids and trying to educate myself about how to live a socially conscious life. In the year prior to leaving the States we were caught up in the preparations. And then, came the calm. We were underway and it was glorious…
Nature was all around us. On our long passage to the Dominican Republic I came to allow my imagination to float up into the clouds that provided vibrant images surrounding our tiny vessel. Rainbows seemed like smiles from above. In the hours of darkness standing alone on watch, the rhythmic motion of Gypsy was a reminder of my mother’s gentle caress, a safe place. When that quiet descended around and in me, I expected answers to all my questions. They have not come yet. Do I need to have answers?
We are here in a beautiful paradise. Waiting for a weather window has forced me to s l o w down. There are no roads or markets. The wind is howling, reminding us of its immense power. I have looked at the larder and fabricated meals with our remaining food – there are no provisions here. And it is a beautiful thing. Our bookshelves hold tales of adventure and self-awareness and we have delved into the words. Reading aloud gives us both the information and then we discuss the ideas; Spanish vocabulary words are taped about the boat and we quiz each other as we pass. And it is beautiful. The wisps of clouds have increased the drama of the sunsets. Walks along the beaches allow us to peer down into the habitat of the protected creatures that surround us. And it is beautiful.
By no means have I adjusted entirely to the inactivity that at times encroaches on my life. I tell myself to relax, to breath, to accept and to just “be”. The tides rise and the tides recede; I have no control of this natural rhythm, but I can control my thoughts.
