I imagine that I am like most people when I do not feel well. When sick, I long for various comforts. Being sick also heightens my awareness of the various things that I miss from our life onshore. I am sure that it will come as no surprise that I really miss being able to step out my back door and go for a run. I miss our house salad: baby spinach with craisins, blue cheese, pine nuts and homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I miss watching the Detroit Red Wings, especially during playoffs. I miss my Dad. I miss being able to pick up the phone and call my girlfriends. I miss greeting the boys when they return home at the end of the day. I miss snow and all permutations of skiing. I miss the sauna or even just being able to take a hot bath when my legs ache. I miss time truly by myself and I miss date nights with Christopher.
That list, which while not all-inclusive is close to comprehensive, can be divided into two categories: things which I would be missing no matter where I was and things that I can have back in my life soon after this adventure. Recognizing this makes it even easier to stay in the moment and appreciate the extraordinary gift that is this adventure.
The experiences, of course, have been awesome: sitting with 200,000 penguins; watching wandering albatross and Andean condors soar; sailing Sila through a variety of conditions; exploring the Chilean channels; transiting the Panama Canal; snorkeling in crystal clear waters; sampling pastries from each little French town; crossing the Atlantic the first time and then the long way; rounding Cape Horn; meeting generous, kind, funny, and interesting people everywhere we go; walking among the Moai on Rapa Nui; Visiting the Guggenheim in Balboa; anchoring in the shadow of glaciers, and too many more to list. But the fact that these experiences have been shared as a family is the greatest gift.
Despite what the blog might imply, we do have challenges that test our tolerance for adversity. These can be moments, hours or occasionally even days. But even in the midst of the discomfort, or at the height of my homesickness (for lack of a better word to describe those things that I miss), I am grateful to have this time together– time for the experiences, and time to anticipate and reflect on them as well. -Molly
Note: This blog was written on Sunday. As of 11 am (UTC) on Monday, we are at 32°58' N and 30°W, which puts us about 340 miles south-southwest of the Azores. We are zipping along at 6.5 knots and hope to arrive in Horta early on Thursday the 23rd.
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