Just thinkin'...again

We are currently attached to a mooring buoy in Escondido (just south of Loreto) and I am enjoying the opportunity to just take a deep breath. So much has happened this season. We have had a lot of guests, which we love, but that has also meant that our "alone time" has been limited at times. It is such fun to have visitors from the cold country up north and watch as they learn that cruising means slowing down and enjoying the small things. Just being able to sit in the sun with a good book is a luxury that so many people don't have in the hustle and bustle of the "real" world. Last night we got together with our friends on "Nautilus" and, as we sat in the quiet and beauty of a moonless night and shared experiences over a couple glasses of red, I was reminded again of how fortunate we are to have this life. We talked about how uncomfortable the passages are when the wind is blowing like stink and right on the nose. We talked about the embarrassment of messing up when we dock or un-dock the boat. We talked about the sleep we lose when the wind comes up in an anchorage and we spend the night in a rolling boat worrying that the anchor will drag. But, then, the conversation turned to how truly lucky we are to be a part of the 1% who had a dream and are able to live it. The beauty of the places we visit is stunning. The wildlife that is a part of our daily lives is only available to the average person via television or movies. The ability to pack up our "homes" in an hour or two and move to a new place is freedom extraordinaire. The people we meet and form instant, intense relationships with is unique beyond words. If only we could transfer this closeness and sense of community to the neighborhoods back home so many problems would be solved. Here, if you have engine problems or electrical issues or any number of difficulties, there always seems to be someone around who is eager to lend a helping hand. Here, we leave the key in the ignition and if the boat drags anchor while you are gone, someone will get on it and re-anchor it for you. It isn't about making money...it is more about a sense of family and community. It is about building friendships and maybe a little Karma as well. Here, we all realize that we are on our own but we are also part of a great family that is continually growing and changing. We love to party but we also know that anything can happen tomorrow. Well, enough philosophizin'. I need to get started on today's chores! Chris went to town with Dan so I am free to do some cleaning up for our next guests' arrival, practice a little Spanish and then settle in with my latest book. Hopefully the resident whale shark will come by and I can try again to get a good picture of it.