Boat Report

What an amazing day.

We met at the office to drive together to Sandusky. Everyone was silly. Most of the people who said they wanted to go found a reason to stay back. So it was TNET main staff and two of the guys we work with. We went in two vehicles. I rode with the Pres while the VP was in the other vehicle. VP wanted to go another way and it was on to see who could get there first. We won, of course.

I was the only woman from our group on the trip. When we got to the boat I was pleased to find that the first mate was a woman from church that I knew. We talked a lot both coming and going. She’s a school liaison at the career center and a breast cancer survivor. The more we talked the more we realized we had in common.

It was threatening storm so we didn’t ever get the sales up. We set off from Sandusky and headed to Kelley’s Island. On the trip over I stayed midship to avoid getting sick. About halfway over, the strom found us. The winds picked up, the lake was really choppy, the rain beat down on us, and there was lightening all around. By the time we got to KI the storm subsided and shortly after docking the sun came out.

There’s a tradition on the Journey and with Babout that the newbies have to walk the Courage Walk. I knew this and I had been preparing myself for it. For some reason I got it in my head that anyone can do the Courage Walk in the calm, so I was going to do mine in the middle of the storm. And I did. I wasn’t doing the full Titanic thing off the front of the boat, but I was up there. And it was cool.

When we got to the island the guys took off and I ended up shopping alone. That was really okay. It was so nice just to stroll and browse through the shops. The one shop I heard so much about had a sign in the door that they would be back at 3:00--right when we were supposed to leave. It was probably for the best since what was enticing about that shop was the fact that they sold fudge. There were so many things I would have bought but talked myself out of. I ended up buying a refrigerator magnet for Nelson about duct tape.

The houses on the island were so amazing. I really felt like I could just stay there forever. I remembered all the time we spent at my aunt and uncle;s cottage as kids. It struck me as odd today that they now lived in the dessert of Arizona. Nelson told me he didn’t think I could live on an island, that I would be able to escape the storms. There was a time when that really would have been an issue, but I’m just not so sure any more. One of the t-shirts I saw was imprinted with: On KI Time. I’m thinking I could catch that rhythm.

It’s Saturday morning now as I finish typing my thoughts from yesterday. The rain is still coming down. My mom is coming to visit next week (17th-20th) and I really should clean. I am totally unmotivated to do it. Must still be on some of that KI time.

I pray you catch a breeze, see something amazing, find new courage, and walk with a more grace-full rhythm.