Pay it Forward...Pay it Back

 

I'm sure you've watched the tug-at-your-heartstrings movie, Pay It Forward, sometime in the past decade since it was released in 2000. A teacher challenges his class to do something meaningful to make the world a better place and a young boy takes the challenge seriously. When we set off aboard Nine of Cups in 2000, we envisioned having lots of adventures, seeing exotic places and interacting positively with the locals. We could never have dreamed it would be as wonderful as it has been and continues to be. We could never have imagined how generous and kind people, sometimes complete strangers, could be to us. It's First Day and at this time of year, I'm allowed to ponder and wax philosophical about good things.

In our travels and in life in general, we've found that the more we have given, the more we have received. What's been so apparent, time after time after time, is that wherever we are, when we're one-on-one with people, talking, helping, getting help, giving gifts, accepting gifts, learning, sharing … all the differences disappear. There's no religion, race, politics or nationalism. It's just people interacting with people. It's refreshing and energizing and wonderful.

It's presumptuous to think that we could just sail into a place and make it better by our mere presence or because we opted to part with some American dollars. There's no lasting impression there ... other than the notion that yachties have bucks to spread around (which most don't). Most yachties, we've observed, look for special ways to contribute to the local communities they visit, intent not only leaving a clean wake, but more importantly, leaving a lasting, positive impression with their local hosts.

We've tutored kids in the public schools of Trinidad. I taught English to marina staff in Ecuador. We've written port guides for the benefit of arriving yachties, as well as the local folks who provide services and supplies. David has repaired innumerable generators, solar panels and electronic gear in a myriad of places. He's given repair classes in thatched huts and left behind testing gear. What we've received in return was unreserved hospitality, invaluable friendships and, sometimes, lots of lettuce and bananas. We don't do it for the lettuce, believe me. Most people willingly help others if given the opportunity. And more to the point, helping others is just the right thing to do. The hard part, when you're bustling around trying to get through life, is remembering to go out of your way to pay it forward or pay it back.

Whether you're on a sailboat sailing around the world, at home taking care of kids, driving a tractor trailer or have a 9-5 desk job, there's always something you can be doing to make your little corner of the world, your community, a better place … one kind act at a time. It's the first day of the year. What better time to start. Make 2014 your Pay It Forward year. It's contagious.

Okay...so now I gingerly step down off my soapbox and note that on the 8th Day of Christmas, my true gave to me …

Eight bulky boat parts

Seven quests for hardware

Six shiny shackles

Five I miss you's

Four galley updates

Three e-mailed errands

Two bigger duffels

And a Christmas morning greeting on Skype

Wicked Fun New Year's Eve

 

This year's New Year's Eve is going to be a real novelty. I'm not with David nor on the boat and I'll probably actually manage to stay up till the stroke of midnight. I'm spending New Year's Eve with my sister, Lin, in Providence, Rhode Island. Talk about a change in plans and venue.

We chose Providence because 1) Providence was touting their big “Bright Night”, first night, celebration and 2)Lin had points for a free hotel room. We were excited until we read the other day that the Bright Night activities and celebration had been canceled due to lack of funding and participation. So, now we had a hotel room in Providence and no place to go. We're resourceful girls and were very determined to celebrate and not let the Bright Night cancellation dampen our spirits.

While I was racking my brain for ideas of fun, innovative “to-do's” in Providence on December 31st, Lin got us tickets for a New Year's Eve production of “Wicked” as a post-Christmas treat. Wow! I'd been wanting to see Wicked since its first production on Broadway over a decade ago. I'd read the book and developed a whole new appreciation for green-complected people with bad attitudes. There's always another side to every story.

We'll head to Providence early, so we can enjoy walking around Providence's historic downtown and see the play. We have reservations for a late dinner at Cav, a fixe prix, 5-course affair which ends with a champagne toast at midnight and lots of live music. Assuming I stay awake, this should be a memorable beginning to 2014.

Happy New Year!

And by the way, though I'm anxious to see Wicked, I'm even more anxious to get back to David and Nine of Cups.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

Seven quests for hardware

Six shiny shackles

Five I miss you's

Four galley updates

Three e-mailed errands

Two bigger duffels

And a Christmas morning greeting on Skype

Farewell Christmas Tree

 

There's something a little sad about taking down the Christmas tree. All that extra glitz and flash of the holiday lights and decorations disappears when the tree goes out the door, leaving a thick trail of brown needles on the floor behind us. We took down Lin's tree today. We de-decorated.

All the ornaments were carefully wrapped and packed away till next year. All the lights came off and we tried our best to keep them in some order, so the untangling episode of this year would be minimized at Christmas 2014.

It was an ordeal trying to lift the 6-foot tree out of the tree stand without spilling the water and then dragging the bare tree on a tarp out of the house, down the deck stairs and out to the woods.

No matter how hard we scour each branch of the tree, there is always one ornament hiding. We assume it doesn't want to be packed away. This year it was the pickle.

Lin has a tradition, however, of cutting up the tree and burning it in the chiminea. It symbolizes saying goodbye to 2013 (good riddance, we say) and beginning to prepare for the new year ahead. Since 2013 was not a particularly good year for us, I was pleased to be participating in her ritual. So on a cold, gray day, we cut up the tree and sipped hot cider and rum while watching the remnants of 2013 blaze up and swirl away in smoky, sparking clouds.

As we say goodbye to the Christmas tree and 2013, a little reminder that First Foot Day is celebrated on New Year's Day in several countries including Greece and Scotland. The first person to set foot in your home (or on your boat maybe?) after the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day is thought to bring good luck. It's not usually a resident family member and the person cannot be in the house at the stroke of midnight. The visitor usually brings some traditional gifts like bread, a coin and perhaps some whiskey or wine signifying that you'll have enough to eat, drink and spend for the upcoming year.

Start the First Foot tradition by spreading the word in advance and then visiting friends and neighbors with the traditional gifts to insure their good luck in 2014.

And lest we forget ... on the Sixth Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

Six shiny shackles

Five I miss you's

Four galley updates

Three e-mailed errands

Two bigger duffels

And a Christmas morning greeting on Skype