On one particularly hot, sultry, summer day on Florida’s east coast, La Le Lu and crew ventured out Port Canaveral in search of adventure. Once out in the tranquil blue water of the Atlantic, she bobbed like a cork under barely a whisper of wind. The wind Gods took pity and gradually, almost imperceptibly at first, a nice breeze began filling her sails. It built to 10 knots and La Le Lu acknowledged the gesture by skipping along on a nice beam reach.
Enjoying absolutely everything and doing absolutely nothing, I rested my head on the cushion of the port settee and hung my legs over the cockpit coaming. I listened with one ear to the rush of water against the hull, and to Jimmy Buffet with the other. I picked up on some lyrics, heard many times before, but to which I never previously paid much attention. It seems Jimmy bought a watch that had no numbers and no hands. This watch just said "now." Some might think perhaps the watch was broken, but not Jimmy – he thought it worked just fine. At that moment I clearly understood what he was telling me: live every moment. He went on to say that in times when things are going wrong "breathe in, breathe out, and then move on."
I pondered his advice - how paradoxical it was to master the keeping of time, only to become its slaves. The call of a departing cruise ship jolted me back to reality... "Brrmmppp, Brrrmmmppppppppp." I knew that sound meant it was 4:00 pm. Regretfully, I acknowledged that time is my master and it was telling me to go home. Like an obedient school child, La Le Lu headed back...through the locks, down the barge canal and into her slip. I was resolved – and only just a bit sad, as we secured her dock lines, knowing that the next adventure was just around the corner. Life is good. Drink it up.
