Sail Away into the Now

The sounds of the Indian flutes rising up and down and the enchanting rhythm of the drums, lulls my mind into a soft and comforting present. The here and the now, the time of no time; the present. 

A black bird with a slender body, long neck and a long, sharp beak lands on the water only disturbing the waves for a quick moment. He looks around and with a swift jump up, dives down into the water. It's lunch time. 

The water in the bay is a dark teal green surrounded by wooden piers which over time have collected an array of sea life that cling on to the long wooden beams. Fancy yachts rest their bones and small sailboats bob around in the distance waiting for their next venture out into the big unknown. I've always been fascinated by the sea and by the life of those who choose to make it their home. I've read countless novels about those brave and adventurous souls which take to the sea to break away from the oppressing life in our society and to test their own limits. Those stories have always inspired me and made me smile as I imagined being in place of the main characters in those books. I often day dream about sailing off into the sunset with my own sailing boat and exploring the far corners of this earth  while visiting some incredible pieces of paradise. I have been aboard a sailing boat going from Cartagena, Colombia to Panama for two weeks and that experience was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. It was an adrenaline rush in itself, especially after going two days without seeing land! I understand that for a sailor those two days may be nothing compared to the extended times that they don't get to see land for many days, but for me it was such a strange and exciting experience. During this trip we had very minor duties, which included watching the radar in shifts at night and everything else was common sense, cleaning up after yourself and rarely helping raise the sails or pulling some ropes. I didn't really pay attention to any of it back then (wish I did!!) so I didn't walk away with much more than what I already knew about boats. But the experience itself was so incredible that countless times I have looked into getting a job aboard a yacht or a sail boat. I've met many people who work as captains, stewards, chefs and engineers on privately owned boats. Overall their experiences have been positive and inspiring. I guess the time for me to be in that industry hasn't come yet which is completely fine with me. Everything has its own time. Whether it will happen or not, does not matter. Whatever path I choose, will be the right one for this moment and for right here and right now. 

I lift my gaze up and stare into the distance. The sun is making the water below dance around with silver sparkles making the water look magical. The flutes have slowed down and the drum beat is only a slight rhythm bringing me back from my dream. I close my eyes and let the sun bathe my skin with warmth and affection. I am right here and right now. There is no before or after. This is now. 

 San Diego, California