looking both ways

looking both ways

part of me doesn’t want to leave.

I am happy in the warmth

and bright beauty of this place.

life is simple and full,

there are only a few claims on my time –

staying in touch with my family, writing,

boat cleaning, sailing, cooking, bookkeeping –

and rarely do I have to handle

more than one of those at a time.

in the morning I sip my tea

and wonder at the world.

whenever the boat is moving

I sit at the helm with Dave

and help sail or just watch.

many days I rest in the hammock for a bit

with a book or a cold drink or both.

when there’s a day at anchor

I write or get out the boatwax or balance the checkbook.

if the bay is calm, we play in the water

paddleboarding, snorkeling, swimming.

in the evenings after supper

we watch a video or sing or read or play backgammon

or just watch the stars and the island lights.

I will miss the simplicity

and single-mindedness of this life.

but part of me is ready to go home,

to settle in to the comfortable familiarity

of our mountain cabin.

after all, those sunsets and those mountains

are just as beautiful as here!

I know I’ll be grateful for conveniences

like flush toilets, reliable phone service, and easy shopping.

but more, I’m eager to feel nearer to my children

and to see and hold them all again.

the cabin is a place rich with memories

that I’ll be glad to have solidly around me –

photographs, books, furniture, art,

stories that anchor me

and help me see my life whole,

that remind me who I am and what I’m here for.

wednesday 4 may

easter 2016
Mayo Bay, St. John