It is a rare moment in a life when one receives the gift of knowing your personal impact on others. Most days you go about your business, doing your work the best you can with as much grace and joy as you can. Some days you don’t feel like enough.
And then a moment comes that you might treasure for a long time to come. The echoes of which will ring softly in your bones as a knowing of your goodness and place in this world.
Such was a day for Jon and I two boarding nights ago when our crew alumni emerged out of the galley singing Rolling Down to Old Maui. As face after face from our seventeen years in the windjammer business, shining with song and surprise, surrounded us with their laughter and love, it took a while for us to understand what was happening.
They’d spent a year plotting and planning, via a galactically long Facebook thread, a reunion cruise. Crew members from as early as our first year as Maine windjammer owners stood beaming on the deck as hugs and exclamation after exclamation of surprise peppered the air.
They were sneaky and kept it a secret for a year. Elizabeth (our Shoreside Coordinator) was super sneaky and she might just have to do some sort of penance for the fibs she had to tell.
It was amazing to have so many of our favorite people in one place at one time. It was a gift to have them all with us again sharing stories of their Riggin time with each other and current stories of their life’s progress.
The trip was one big song, literally and figuratively.
To our crew alumni – Capt. and I are so blessed to have had each and every one of you to share our summers. The girls are blessed to have you amazing individuals in their lives.
That was a lot of love on our boat at one time.
Blessings to you all,
Annie
3 Comments
Paula Miller
July 12, 2014 at 8:35 amThat is so awesome! Just goes to show how special you two (and the girls) are to those you have touched. Only took one cruise for us to know that! What a cool thing for them to do! Made Greg and I both smile to read this 🙂
Harold Hoffman
July 12, 2014 at 9:27 pmGreat story and event! Congrats! How did they get Jon to fly an asymmetrical spinnaker?
Julie Thiessen
July 14, 2014 at 2:35 pmWhat a super special time for you guys. 🙂