Sometimes we need a day to remind us why we love the things we do. It is so easy to get lost in the daily monotony of work and chores. I love my day to day! I have a better job than I ever could have imagined, doing work I truly enjoy. I have flexible hours, great coworkers, a wonderful employer who respects me as a worker and a person, and I'm finally making a comfortable living. I come home from work and get to enjoy Beth's company in our cozy cottage, with views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains (If I get home before dark.)
So why do we need this reminder?
We start to take things for granted and forget what big smiles feel like. Working from dawn to dusk in the winter hours has a lot to do with it. Biking, hiking, and running through the night are okay to stay active, but it's just not the same. Beth and I only have one day off together which we can typically fill with chores around the house, errands that we wanted to run together, and perhaps a short walk or hike.
This winter can't decide what it wants to do here in the Hudson Valley. It's not that cold, and we haven't had more than a few inches of snow which is promptly followed by rain and a deep freeze, only to thaw into mud again. Yesterday I saw the forecast was for the mid 50's today and the ice has been off the Hudson for the last few days. With planning a big canoe trip this spring/summer, not having paddled in a few months, I knew we had to get out on the water. Nothing epic, just ignore the chores. It's 55 in January! We can canoe in the middle of winter! LET'S GO!
After a huge breakfast at the diner, the sun began to shine as we loaded our Wenonah Minnesota II, "Chip" onto my truck. The gravel road to our local paddle spot on the Hudson was muddy and to our surprise, nobody else was there, not even walking or hiking.
Just feet off the dock, the excitement for our 750 mile journey was rejuvenated. Beth has this peaceful, amazing smile when she is on the water. Not that her everyday smile isn't great, but this one is different. This smile makes MY heart feel light. The sun shines through her hair and the Kevlar reflections off the inside of the boat magnify the reddish tones. The water is calm, and the spring-like sky is a colorful contrast to the tan cattail stalks and gray, leafless, winter landscape. We paddle under a low railroad bridge from the bay to the Hudson River and make a short paddle to a rocky beach we frequent through the summer.
This just feels right. It's not an epic day. No countries were crossed, no limits were pushed, but damn, the happiness is real. Perfect skipping stones and smooth beach glass line the shore of a small cove on the island. We share corny jokes (maybe the only kind I have) and search the ground collecting small, colorful bits of glass and flinging flat rocks across the surface of the water. We both get excited every time we find a piece of blue glass because that's the rarest to find! We've collected a few bags over the course of the summer and every time we go back, there's more. We take a short walk to the next small beach which has the sun shining upon it, almost short sleeve weather, but the breeze off the river convinces us otherwise.
This is my life. My real life. This amazing person decides to share it with me. Not only for the big adventures, but every damn day. Maybe I'm beginning to believe in luck. I don't know how else to explain it.
