Sunset sail

I took B. out on a sailing trip for an early birthday celebration. Last year, I gave him a book that he hasn’t yet read (The World is Flat). So, this year, I wanted to do something that was more memorable.

As I get older, I’m finding that giving experiences is far more meaningful than most material objects, although I don’t think I’ll ever stop giving books to those I love. It’s a habit I think would be tough to break given my love of reading. And giving a book can be very personal. But this way I get to join in on the fun, too.
The charter company, Emerald City Charters, closes for the year on the 15th and as I will be in class then, we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather yesterday. We walked to the pier from Belltown and arrived just in time to buy some wine from a nearby store before boarding the Obsession. (I love boat names; I think sailors are--for the most part--incredibly witty). Although there were more people than I had expected, it was a lot of fun. We saw a spectacular sunset and then near the end of the trip, we saw a huge sea lion. (I wish I could post the video). Before my mom died, she found so much peace sailing. I think it helped her stay alive as long as she did. She had two sailboats: a 1971 Cheoy Lee (Narnia, named after the C.S. Lewis books) that she moored at Browns Point (it was very similar to the picture here, but was navy blue) and a smaller day sailboat she kept at American Lake, closer to where she lived.
I have so many fond memories of sailing around the Sound with my family. Unfortunately, after mom died, Nick thought it would be easier to sell the boat. (We decided to donate the smaller sailboat to the American Lake Sailing Club).
Our sunset sail in Elliot Bay made me reminisce about peaceful afternoons spent on the water. (I’ve decided that one of us needs to win the lottery).

I also had an interesting moment on our trip. My memory failed me about something utterly trivial and tears started streaming down my cheeks. It was a surreal experience while surrounded by total strangers, but something happened to me in that moment.
Given my history, I know that I’m very lucky to be doing as well as I am and yet I struggle with the fact that I will likely face similar memory problems for the rest of my life. Being so affected by an insignificant detail showed me clearly that somehow I need to come to accept this and not get angry at myself for something that is out of my control.

I need to see that my past has been a gift, which has led me to where I am today. In the end, I think it will give me a unique ability to work with others who have MTBI, a special sort of empathy that they may not be able to get from their family and friends. For me, it was very difficult not having anyone who could really understand what I was going through. And, as for B. and our sailing trip, he seemed to really enjoy himself. To me, the smile on his face is priceless, and the fun's not over yet. He's got a few more surprises left.