Yesterday March 4, 2014

[Marlene Anne Sassaman]

During my mom's last days she told me how her life seemed to have taken place all in one day. It is when we look to the future that time takes forever. "When you look back," she warned, "all the good you experienced will glide by like a slow paced movie." We talked about whether the memories were happy or sad. In one of the rarest moments spent with my mom, she told me that especially the saddest days of our lives is what allows us to enjoy happiness. With her words I have come to realize If you can endure bad times and sad times with someone, then you will solidify your relationship in a loving way.

Being in love with someone doesn't guarantee living together in harmony. Just like the mother bird who pushes her babies to fly from the nest, separation can bring two people emotionally together. This has become an integral part of my novice cruising life. Meeting people, then saying good-by, is tough. Long ago as a school counselor I learned to take people into my heart. I discovered that once inside my chambers they are locked forever. Imprisoned in a special place. While I miss my sister, brothers, and my friends from the Melbourne area, the love we share is surmountable. No distance, no foreign port, no beautifully crystal clear water can surpass the wonderment of love for our fellowman.

Astounding as it may seem the three months prior to my solo sailing away from the dock is pictured as one long day. From improving the anchor system to installing a user friendly dinghy launch system, to replacing the engine I am amazed at how we endured the situation. It is just like mom said. Those 90 some odd days now seem to have happened all in one 24 hour period. Does that mean all my cruising days will sift into one short memory?

Will this chapter equal the 33 year marriage, those carefree hippy days, and those childhood memories? It is curious as I write my memoirs and articles for various publications. There is the factual part and the emotional part. There are people, and places.  Is it the movement, the warm breeze gliding me across an expanse of never ending horizons, or the people that motivate me. One of the lessons I learned thus far is that when it comes to sight seeing, beach walking, and gunk holing I find it enjoyable with a mate, a lover, or a friend. When it comes to the sailing, alone is just fine!

In contrast to this lesson, I learned that before mailing something into a foreign country, it is worth talking to locals and other cruisers. Silly me took the word of the clerks at the post office in Georgetown. The smiling ladies insisted it is no problem to have mail and packages shipped to General Delivery. Oh, it is about a week, yes. If a problem maybe ten days. When I showed up ten days later, they said, "Oh no no no, my lady. Maybe 3 or 4 more weeks!' Taking a deep breath, then another I sulked my way back to the dinghy dock. While whining to a fellow cruiser he sympathetically told me he learned a similar lesson. He also advised me to check out a local private air service out of Ft. Lauderdale. For a fee of about 1% of the cost of the item, including customs fees and other unidentifiable fees, the packages arrive within one week of receipt in Ft. Lauderdale. 

How bad can it be to wait a month or so for a package required for traveling on? After all, I am in one of the most friendly, beautiful countries in the world. Oh, pity me.......