Life Lessons from Living Aboard

The other day, a blog follower asked a great question on our Facebook page:"What memories, lessons, recipes, etc. will you keep/take with you while off the boat?"

All of our lives have the potential shift, change and alter course with every step we take.  Even the seemingly simplest things like a powerful book, a random run-in with an old friend, a wrong turn or a news program have the ability to change us and our lives forever.  I think that is part of what makes life so magical; the fact that - at any given moment - our course could change drastically.  It's these paradigm shifts, be them large or small, positive or negative, that make us who we are; that force us to change, evolve and grow.  It blows my mind, really, the millions of possibilities that lay at our fingertips at any given moment...the fact that no matter who we are or what we do, our paths are unpredictable.

But I digress...

The past two years have had a huge impact on our lives, bigger than we can probably recognize or know right now.   Luckily for us this "hiatus" is only a short break from the life at sea that we love because we are not ready for it to be "over" but nevertheless - these next six months or so will certainly be colored by our time living on our boat.  So what, specifically, have we brought back with us?

To be honest - it's probably easier to start with what has changed.  We have a car.  We use it daily (but walk when we can!) to run errands, head to doctor's appointments and venture to the city to see our friends.  We have the modern conveniences like refrigeration, washer/dryer and a never-ending supply of water at our fingertips.  Of course we take advantage of all of these things - but there is always the underlying reminder that these things are luxuries, that they are not to be abused (okay - I do take longer than usual hot showers - but only because in this super dry air, the shower is the only place my head and nose feel normal!).  We still eat simple, healthy meals (still blending soups over here!).  We still take time to exercise and get outside in the fresh air daily.  While we do have television, we spend more time reading books and if it is on - neither of us are paying much attention to it.  Scott is still Mr. Fixit and working on projects throughout the house (which makes my mother very happy).  It's funny - while everything has changed, at the same time it feels like nothing has changed.  We've fallen into step, and it feels totally normal.   I do recognize, however, that the fact that we have return tickets to our boat makes this "adjustment period" feel more like an extended vacation rather than a permanent life change which makes everything much easier.  If I had to don a suit, sit in rush-hour traffic and head into a high-rise office building tomorrow I might be singing a different tune...

The biggest lesson I think I have taken away is the importance of being adaptable and how much easier life is when you can "go with the flow".  Scott and I are both this way - you can put us anywhere and we'll take our bearings, assess our surroundings and adjust.  I think we were both flexible before we left on this trip and we've certainly become more so because of it.  We're good no matter where we are.  Our happiness doesn't come from where we are, it comes from who we are.  Charles Darwin said it best when he said:

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.

Love,
Brittany & Scott