What a fabulous day. At this time of year you have to take advantage of sunny days, use them to their fullest potential. And sometimes that just means sitting and enjoying the warmth of the sun on your face.
Kirk and I give a great deal of our time to a volunteer organization, Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons. CPS is an organization dedicated to safe boating education and we have been doing it since we took the course in 1998 and realized that we could give something back to this amazing group, sometimes it feels like a bit much, but then you have days like today.
Twice a year we (the Squadron) put on a course and each class has the opportunity to join us in an on-the-water practical exercise in plotting and charting and learning about the dangers (and the joy) involved in boating in BC waters. We are passionate about boating, the Squadron, and the Yacht Club we belong to (and from where we hold the event). It’s never at a very good time of year for boating (Feb/Mar & Oct/Nov) but we occasionally get lucky with the weather for our Student Cruise, this one was particularly phenomenal. The time change was a welcome bonus since it meant that it wasn’t pitch black when we woke up! The boats were all in, the proctors arrived, the students arrived, and they were off for a fabulous sunny boat ride.
When it was all over and we had cleaned everything up, three of us stayed behind at the Club and sat in the sun until it disappeared. Kirk and I had weighed our options….hang out near the water in the sun, or gear up and go for a ride. We opted for the sun over the ride. It’s a treat at this time of year and when you have a number of hobbies you need to find a balance between them and not forget how much time, money, and effort you have put into not just the pastimes, but also the people that represent the community of friends you have built in each. We have become a part of such a wonderful group of people over the past 13 years that we have been involved in boating. All any of us get out of it is the knowledge that we are helping shape the boating habits of those new to it and promote safer use of the waterways. That community of friends has even had influences on life decisions we have made.
This afternoon, after everyone left, as we enjoyed the peaceful afternoon looking out over Burrard Inlet, I thought about how rich our lives are because of this wonderful group of people who have been a part of our world through boating. When we took the course we didn’t think beyond passing the exam. Who knew that somehow, through invitations to participate, we would be drawn so deeply into something so fabulous. About this time of year I tend to get a bit overwhelmed by how much time CPS takes from me, I have to admit that I get a bit “volunteered-out”, but then the cruise comes along and makes it all worthwhile.
It puts such a wonderful sparkle on a fabulous day. And it was a good decision, since you don’t get any colour on your skin when you are always hiding inside a motorcycle helmet 🙂
Balance……that’s what life is about.
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