In the cruising world, there is a common saying, “Plans are written in the sand at low tide,” which rings true as there are so many factors completely out of the sailor’s control that conspire to flip the script. The most likely culprits are the weather and mechanical/equipment problems. But, the biggest disruptor, in our experience, was ‘new information.’
This new-on-the-scene info could be the nuances of weather patterns that we weren’t aware of until we actually arrived in the area and started talking with cruisers with tons of local knowledge. It could also be a recommendation of a great anchorage that was not on our radar, but after hearing about another boat’s experience has us thinking we want to check it out. And the biggest, and most fun disruptor, is meeting a fellow boat (or group of boats) who are heading somewhere and because they are so fun, we want to go, too!
At one point in late February, I was feeling overwhelmed by all of the changing and the subsequent coordinating that all the changing triggered that I suddenly blurted out, “The plan will reveal itself.” And those five words have been the most important mantra I’ve ever used. As a professional project manager, I can assure you that living by those five words could not be further from how I have navigated the last twenty-two years of life.
The reality of living a nomadic lifestyle is that we simply can’t plan very far ahead and I find great comfort in trusting that the plan of what we should do, when we should do it, and with whom we should do it WILL. REVEAL. ITSELF. So anytime I find myself falling back into my old habits and ways of thinking (which served me well for many years, but now stress me the heck out), I just take a breath and remind myself…. The plan will reveal itself. And it does.
Fair winds,
Gretchen
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