Be The Experience™
We’ve had a remarkably warm winter season, and I question why I hauled Growler out of commission so early.
So, on one of those lovely, windless, sunny winter days when I am still in shorts and a polo shirt, I walk down to my dock and sit at the end of it, a clear view of the creek unfolding in both directions before it winds around the bend. There are only a few idle boats still in the water; most others are perched on lifts, cloaked in bright white shrink-wrap or custom covers. The residents on my creek are prepared for winter, and the silence is deafening.
Laurene wanders down the hill from our house with Boomer, who indulges in a brief sniffing expedition near what we believe is the home of a small furry water creature. Content, she moves on, and she and Laurene join me at the end of the dock, where we sit in two Adirondack chairs. Without Growler the space seems empty. We watch feathers swirl by on the calm water, a reminder of the hundreds of geese and ducks
that choose to winter in our protected creek, making up for Growler’s absence.
Laurene scoops Booms into her lap, and the three of us enjoy the moment of just being, a feeling of sublime contentment, in touch and at peace with the world. Boomer just turned 14, and we cherish every moment we have with our much-loved golden retriever.
It is one of those moments in which I can honestly say I am the luckiest person in the world. I’ve met so many wonderful people, taken so many fabulous voyages, and seen so many breathtaking things. And our health remains solid as we get up in years.
The moment brings back a mental exercise Laurene and I recently performed as part of our annual review of our portfolio. We had to complete three forms—perhaps you’ve seen them—which ask you to define the life you would lead under three very different scenarios.
The first asks how you would change your life if you had no constraints whatsoever, no issues with health, finances, or family. The second presents this setting: You learn your life will end in a year or two. How would you change your life accordingly? The third and final scenario has you living your last day on Earth and asks what you would do for the brief remainder of your life.
It is a worthy exercise for baby boomers to consider as we move into years that promise to be the best of our lives. Funny, that reality entered my consciousness only recently.
Sitting on the dock that mild winter day, quietly alone on
the water with the two most precious souls in my life, I remembered how I answered
all three questions, my responses to each virtually identical. What would I do to change my life?
Nothing. Nada.
I would keep living as I do.
And that is the blessing of my being. To follow my bliss, to share with others, to show by example that we can continue to live in awe of life’s wonder. There is nothing I regret on a daily basis.
The coming year is one I truly look forward to. It is filled with promise and adventure. I hope to meet many of you at Trawler Fests and boat shows,
and on the water. Your stories and experiences fill me with excitement and spirited laughter, your anecdotes so much richer than any fiction I could create. It is truly one of the best things I get to experience.
And it is all about experience: to do, to feel, to taste, to smell, to laugh. There is nothing more important. So, as we spin another season cruising aboard our boats, I’ll be focusing on getting more of you to Be The Experience. You see, we’ve helped many of you get into this lifestyle; we’ve also helped support your experience through these pages and at our events.
This year, I hope more of you will join us. Be The Experience. It’s time. Stop putting it off for some perfect window in your imagination. It is time now to go live your dream.
Oh, and by the way, when asked how I would spend my last day on Earth, I did write something down. I would most assuredly eat pepperoni pizza.
Ciao, baby! Have a great 2007 cruising season.
Bill Parlatore
Editor-in-Chief