The journey...not the destination

"It is of great use to the sailor to know the length of his line, though he cannot with it fathom all the depths of the ocean."  John Locke


By this, Day Nine, of our trip, I had expected to be in the Bahamas or, at least, just about to go.  Our next weather window, if PassageWeather retains its current forecast, will be Thursday at the earliest...15 days from our departure.  That has been unexpected.  Also unexpected, was the loss of the alternator belt (magnificently repaired by the Captain); bridge after bridge over the ICW, dropping our lovely 6NM/hour to 4NM/hour and the toilet seat that sheared off from its lid.  Its replacement took five days, two cabs rides, one flase start, a rental car, an hour on the internet and several phone calls.  In the end, there were three toilet seats.  That story is worth a separate entry. 

While we were sitting at Lighthouse Point for our "rest day" last Friday, I realized that this trip is not about the destination, it is about the journey.  We may get to the Bahamas; we may not.  We may visit a few islands; we may visit many; we may visit none.  We have spent and will spend a good deal of time trying.  That journey, with its challenges; its upsets; its quiet moments; its dolphins delighting Murphy is, I think, what this is all about...not the destination.  I suspect that is what life is all about.

As I enter retirement, it seems appropriate to stop the headlong rush and consider the joys and struggles along the way.  sandra