I have talked a lot about the trials and tribulations of life—of being busy, overloaded, and everything else we all face as we race along this course that we have set out for ourselves.
I find I write about these times because my keyboard is my clergy and confessional, and my cutting board, my therapist. I can take my sometimes big feelings and transform them into fun and snark, which lightens my mood. Methodically chopping away vegetables and slow-simmering the base of a meal gives my mind a time out. What I have found, though, is that while the chaos fuels my creativity, it’s the quiet times I am content to lie low that calm my soul.
That is why, on this quiet night—the unusually cool August temps in which I can have my windows open, listen to distant dogs barking at the moon, bugs singing their nighttime lullabies, the hum of the dishwasher running in a clean kitchen amid the leftover scent of freshly baked (boxed) brownies—I can enjoy my moment of smooth sailing.
As a boater, you know those days I speak of—when the temperature is just right, good music is strumming through the multiple speakers spread around the boat, yummy snacks are waiting in the cooler, and your favorite person or people are sitting by your side as you coast along. You’re not rushing to go anywhere in particular. This day is not about the endpoint, but the voyage itself. So you don’t raise the monster sails or put your engine on full throttle. You glide around, letting the wind, gentle waves, and currents push you along.
That’s smooth sailing, my friends. Those moments when life feels effortless. We feel buoyant and free. We can take a moment to enjoy the beauty before us without worrying about what awaits us back on the shore. Here, there are no grocery lists, lawns to mow, or boat projects to do. Here is just the gentle rhythm of life slapping the hull of the boat. It’s peace. It’s perfection captured in a little saltwater spritz. It’s a reminder that for every squall there is a brilliant sunlit day. So raise your anchor and go explore. Everything will be waiting for you upon your return.
Christopher Cross – Sailing
🎶
Well, it’s not far down to paradise
At least it’s not for me
And if the wind is right you can sail away
And find tranquility
Oh, the canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me
…
Sailing
Takes me away to where I’ve always heard it could be
Just a dream and the wind to carry me
Soon I will be free
🎶
