The Rhythm of Life Ep39

This year has taught me a alot about myself, which has made me a happier and more resilient human being.

Changing the rhythm of my life to a one which travels every where at the break neck speed of a mere 7 knots has opened my eyes and scaried the living daylights out of me at times. Slow down! - How? Why? Is that safe? Of course, it was good advice for others but advice for myself? NO, I had too much to prove! All nonsense of course but I am being honest with you, no one is perfect and that was my world.

You see, I have spent my whole life running to catch up. I wasn't the brightest kid in school and at the age of eleven I spent 2 year in and out of hospital with no school tuition other than sewing bambi and looking like a complete freak.

To be honest the whole Scolosis thing, resulting in eight fused vertebra has been the making of me but I have also spent much of my life running at a million miles an hour trying to prove my worth. Totally forgetting that life happens in the moment and if I didn't slow down just a little bit I was in danger of missing the best bits.

Now I get it! I am enough and I can vary the rhythm and pace of my life without judgement. I have not been forgotten nor trampled over, in fact I feel more valued by others and connected to people than I ever have before. Selling up and sailing away has not sent me crazy and I am a better person for it. Possibly I was holding on too tight before, who knows.

Now this wide eyed seafaring wanderer is to take on another change of pace and environment. For another year at least, Gary and I plan to continue our nomadic lifestyle cruising UK waters and to be more specific, Scotland. Whilst this is very different to our initial plan we are not dissappointed, in fact to the contrary we are delighted as Scotland has proven so far to be quiet possibly the best cruising ground in the world.

However, as the Uk waters are to be no where as warm or calm as the Mediterranean during the winter months we shall retreat to the delights of a marina for a few months.

Our winter home this year is to be a small sparsely populated island in the inner hebrides. The Isle of Kerrera is a rugged and beautiful place, lying just off the coast of Oban.

Island life has a romance all of it's own and this opportunty will give us a chance to balance both city life and remote isolation.

The idea of this new adventure excites me, mostly because we can contribute and be part of the Isle of Kerrera community. It has achieved some great things over the years in the way of creating a sustainable and innovative lifestyle for residents and visitors alike. Collaborative effort is at the heart of this island and their secured funding and development plans are a direct result of their enthusiasm and collective efforts.

We are under no illusion that this next 6 months will be challenging. What with finding work remotely, the island having limited resources, a minimal road structure being in place, not to mention transport issues and the weather. Yet I believe that it is these shared challenges that help bring the community together and we can't wait to be part of it and experience island life for real.

I look forward to sharing the experience of Island life in my forth-coming blog articles.

FEARLESS INSPIRATION

The future of every community lies in capturing the passion, imagination, and resources of its people.

Ernesto Sirolli