As a child, it was my safe place. It was like all the kids on television who have a cave or a secret clubhouse. It was my place to escape everything else. The one place in the world that just felt good.
I guess until this thread I didn't fully think about this. I always thought of myself in my working days, before meeting my wife, and it being my one and only fun activity, my escape. But just now this made me realize it was that long before my work days.
Thankfully, my wife instantly fell in love with it. I think anything I loved, she would have loved and does. It's like friends, where if your spouse has a friend, out of love for your spouse, they become your friend, even if otherwise they wouldn't have. However, boating took her back to one bright day in her childhood when she sneaked off to a church outing.
It became our escape together and our favorite recreation. Then when we saw we could retire, it was easy. We just knew we must be on the water and must have a boat. We started listing all the places we want to go by water. It's a lifetime ahead.
We love our home. However, we've talked about the people who live on the water but have no boat. Or those who only boat in the ICW. Maybe wanderlust, but we can't imagine not wanting to get out and see what's there. I laughed when I read her comment on locking and wanting to see what's on the other side. To me, every day is an adventure. We see something new in the world, even places we've been before. Wherever we are today, we're enjoying it, but also looking forward to where we'll be tomorrow or the next day. Adventure to some involves danger and risk or some great physical undertaking. It may lead them up a mountain or deep into a forest. To us, it's the next destination. People say, "I can't imagine there's anything to do there." There is always something. Always some history or something the local residents are proud of. Then to the next. Before today I'd never caught a Walleye. Before this week, I'd never been to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Tomorrow is a new day and we'll be living it fully, on the water, the incredible water of the world that can take you to millions of different places. I'd have never had the nerve of Columbus to discover new lands, even if someone else beat him there. But I do discover them now.
It was my safe place. Now it's just a very happy place and still safe.