For our anniversary a few years ago, my husband and I took a sailing course. We have been learning to sail ever since.
If you have been with your partner for a while, I highly recommend learning something new, together. Some activity in which you are both beginners. Learning together is quite fun!
Sailing has taught us so many life lessons.
We have found that we must work together. We never quite know the exact conditions until we are on the water, and we have to adjust accordingly. Nothing is guaranteed, and nothing is same as the last sail. We never quite know what will happen once we are at sail, which is the beauty of it.
It requires patience and trust. And much like life, our synchronized efforts are necessary.
Our path from one point to another is rarely in a straight line. We turn and we adjust based on our conditions. There is always another way. Remaining calm is of upmost importance.
And then, there are times when sailing is smooth. It is relaxing, it is not rushed, and the views are pretty spectacular. Sailing reminds me so much of the ebb and flow of life.
Perhaps Carleton Mitchell said it best – “To desire nothing beyond what you have is surely happiness. Aboard a boat, it is frequently possible to achieve just that. That is why sailing is a way of life, one of the finest of lives.”
I hope you have many more sailing trips together in the coming years.