The next dream on my list is to own a sailboat.
I have loved being in the ocean my entire life. Growing up in San Diego and going to the beach weekly as a child deposited in me a deep respect and awe for the ocean. I remember at my dad's end of week work picnics at the beach I would go out into the surf, with no board what-so-ever, and try and ride the waves while dodging or being dodged by surfers. In high school when I needed time to think I would go to a small beach covered in rocks and watch the sun set behind the silhouette of the surf. During the summer between my junior and senior year I went through a program to become a certified beach lifeguard, and what a thrill it was to jump off the Mission Bay Pier!
I left for college at 17 and moved to San Luis Obispo. While the water temperature was noticeably colder, I was still within a few miles of the ocean where I could retreat for a run or find peace reading a book. When I moved to Redding, my biggest hesitation was that the closest distance to the ocean was four hours away. I was comforted by the fact that the city is surrounded by mountains, lakes, and rivers; adequate substitutes for the ocean when all three are present.
When I was 21, I had the opportunity to go with a group of young adults to Hawaii and help to build and establish adventure programs for a retreat camp. Basically we harvested coconuts, dug toilet latrines, set up heavy duty tents, and then went on adventures all over the island. One of these adventures included sailing on a sailboat down the Big Island coastline. In return for the owner's generosity, we cleaned the barnacles off of his boat. I can't remember if I had been on a sailboat up to that point. I remember hearing stories my dad told me about a catamaran he had when he was younger, but I don't recollect ever being on a boat with sails. I didn't really know what to expect. I had been in tiny aluminum boats and large fishing boats growing up, but those don't compare to sailing.
The day we went on our excursion, we drove down the coastal highway and pulled off the road in an unmarked location. There was a small bay about 200 yards from the road with no buildings in sight. The water was crystal clear and the sky was cloudless; a perfect summer day on the Big Island. About 100 feet from shore sat a little sailboat anchored in the bay. Our group made our way out of the back of the truck we were riding in and across the lava rock lining the shore. We adorned our snorkel gear and jumped in. There were all kinds of colorful fish swimming beneath us as we made our way over to the boat. The captain lowered a ladder for us to climb aboard. The boat itself was not very big, it held about seven of us at one time. We sprawled ourselves out over the boat and prepared for the ride.
It's hard to describe the emotions I felt as we sailed across the ocean. I was gazing at the endless blue sky, the sun was shining down and the wind was blowing over me in a perfect collaboration to moderate my body temperature, and a slight mist covered the surface of my skin each time the boat sailed over a swell. With ease, I was able to find peace in an instant and lean into in the presence of God. It was a drunken feeling encountering the fullness of goodness, peace and joy, and to top it all off, I was able to share the experience with some of my favorite people. We sailed in serene silence as we drank in the depth of His lavish love for us.
It was this experience that produced a longing in my heart to sail ever since, and why I dream to have a sailboat of my own. In the mean time, I'm perfectly content to go along with friends on their sailboats until my dream is fulfilled. Call me any time friends, call me any time...
With Love,
Janet
I left for college at 17 and moved to San Luis Obispo. While the water temperature was noticeably colder, I was still within a few miles of the ocean where I could retreat for a run or find peace reading a book. When I moved to Redding, my biggest hesitation was that the closest distance to the ocean was four hours away. I was comforted by the fact that the city is surrounded by mountains, lakes, and rivers; adequate substitutes for the ocean when all three are present.
When I was 21, I had the opportunity to go with a group of young adults to Hawaii and help to build and establish adventure programs for a retreat camp. Basically we harvested coconuts, dug toilet latrines, set up heavy duty tents, and then went on adventures all over the island. One of these adventures included sailing on a sailboat down the Big Island coastline. In return for the owner's generosity, we cleaned the barnacles off of his boat. I can't remember if I had been on a sailboat up to that point. I remember hearing stories my dad told me about a catamaran he had when he was younger, but I don't recollect ever being on a boat with sails. I didn't really know what to expect. I had been in tiny aluminum boats and large fishing boats growing up, but those don't compare to sailing.
The day we went on our excursion, we drove down the coastal highway and pulled off the road in an unmarked location. There was a small bay about 200 yards from the road with no buildings in sight. The water was crystal clear and the sky was cloudless; a perfect summer day on the Big Island. About 100 feet from shore sat a little sailboat anchored in the bay. Our group made our way out of the back of the truck we were riding in and across the lava rock lining the shore. We adorned our snorkel gear and jumped in. There were all kinds of colorful fish swimming beneath us as we made our way over to the boat. The captain lowered a ladder for us to climb aboard. The boat itself was not very big, it held about seven of us at one time. We sprawled ourselves out over the boat and prepared for the ride.
It's hard to describe the emotions I felt as we sailed across the ocean. I was gazing at the endless blue sky, the sun was shining down and the wind was blowing over me in a perfect collaboration to moderate my body temperature, and a slight mist covered the surface of my skin each time the boat sailed over a swell. With ease, I was able to find peace in an instant and lean into in the presence of God. It was a drunken feeling encountering the fullness of goodness, peace and joy, and to top it all off, I was able to share the experience with some of my favorite people. We sailed in serene silence as we drank in the depth of His lavish love for us.
It was this experience that produced a longing in my heart to sail ever since, and why I dream to have a sailboat of my own. In the mean time, I'm perfectly content to go along with friends on their sailboats until my dream is fulfilled. Call me any time friends, call me any time...
With Love,
Janet
The little Hawaiian sailboat that planted a seed
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