Brian’s Thoughts From the Caribbean

May 1, 2023

I realized while in Fort Lauderdale a few days ago, that it had been almost three months since we had been in our own country.  What a trip we have had!

It has also been almost five years since we had sailed in or out of Ft. Lauderdale, the last time being November of 2018.  Before that, we were pretty regular Caribbean cruisers on Celebrity Cruises so we could get out of the winters we experienced in the places we were living at the time.

Today my thoughts were recalling not only places and people we have experienced on this trip, but a significant number of big events that we have experienced in our lives since that 2018 visit to Ft. Lauderdale.

The first happened during that cruise, when my Dad passed away after spending a lengthy time in the nursing home suffering from Alzheimer’s.  This was truly a blessing but still a big life changing event. Over the coming years we would also see Kristine’s Dad pass at age 94, our fellow cruiser and brother-in-law Lyle lose his battle with fibrosis of the lungs, see both of our next door neighbors die of Covid (they refused to believe in and get the vaccinations), have a dear friend in Bend die totally unexpectedly of a massive heart attack, and losing my brother Lynn to Covid before the vaccines were available.  Family and friends have always been very important to me, and even with all the new and exciting things we have seen on this trip, I know those influences are with me daily.

So many reminders that we need to make the most of our limited time here on earth.

We also found ourselves, by choice, relocating from snowy central Oregon to the coast, where we now enjoy the ocean every day we are home.

Winding toward the end of this trip, I have no regrets.  I have seen and experienced things that, before we left, I never thought I would.  I have learned so much about myself and feel I have a better perspective on our world.  Given the chance there are places I would come back to, but maybe more than that, it has made me realize how many more places there are that I would like to see.  Time, health, and money will determine how much of that happens.

Also, I have been reminded often that most days I am uncomfortable in large crowds of people, and this is made worse if it is a noisy crowd of people.  I think my hearing has worsened, which does not help that situation.  I continue to enjoy, very much, great conversations with a small group of people, or one on one situations.  I also learned that there is still a lot of room for me to grow and learn as a human being.

So, we went to Cartagena, Colombia yesterday, which will put us yet on another continent.  Then two days to and through the Panama Canal, and we will truly be on the downside of this great adventure.