Thursday, February 10, 2011

I love boats. I want to live on a boat. I want to be a boat.

Okay, yes, I went too far.  I don't want to be a boat.  But I kind of do.

I bought this ring the other day.  I love this ring.  I want to be this ring.  Too far?  Just kidding.  But I do love this ring.

Sometimes in the middle of my work day or in the midst of never-ending homework, I'll look down at this ring and I'll feel a very particular type of happiness.  The kind of happiness that I feel when I'm on a boat.  I look at this ring and I can feel the gentle rocking of waves and the extra chill of a water wind.

I look at this ring and I can feel the warmth of Lake Almanor summers, summers spent boating for days with cousins while both our bodies and our memories turned golden with the sun.


I look at my ring and I can feel the excitement of floating in Boston Harbor on the 4th of July, watching fireworks from our MIT sailboat.  I think I was more captivated by the water than the fireworks.


I look at my ring and I can feel the exhiliration of sailing along the Mexican coast.  The thrill of conquering waves and wind until we capsized, then conquered some more, then capsized again, then conquered some more.  And maybe capsized some more (it was an adventurous learning curve).  We layed out on the boats until the distant harbor lights lit up and the sky turned purple.



I feel the peace of a hundred lazy days boating up and down the Williamette River.  Just going up and down and down and up - waving to fellow boaters, stopping to take a cool dip and dry out in the sun, exploring quiet shores, debating about what river front property we would buy, watching for fish and miracle geese that looked like they walked on water, listening to the motor choke up, waiting for half an  hour for the motor to work again, watching sunsets, counting bridges, docking the boat on the shore to build a campfire, spending hours digging the stuck boat out of the shore, sometimes just stopping the boat and taking a nap while the waves rocked and rocked and perhaps occasionally slipping in the ill-advised joke, "Let's rock."






I love boats.  It might be because of all the blessed memories.  Or it might be because I love the feel of the wind coming across the water, making me feel energized and filled with possibilities.  Or it might be because I love the rocking of the waves, because they remind me of my mama and her lullabies. 


I just love boats and if I can't be on one right now, at least I have this ring which brings me there in my heart.  Too far?  Did I stretch that description of my love for boats beyond the lines of cheesiness?  Maybe.  Can I ever go too far in talking about my love for boats?  I don't think that's possible.

4 comments:

Caty said...

You might be a mermaid.
Or a sailor.

Or both...

Sarah said...

I also have a strong passion for boats. I've always loved them more than life itself... too far?

Mamanua said...

Gorgeous photos!!! I miss Portland....

Erin Teichert Barbuto said...

Ashley, we have a boat you can have. I wish I had brought it with me to Baltimore! I would say 'too far?'...but that's really taking it too far.