Being Thankful

I participate in digital-photography-school.com's weekly photo contest.   I've been doing so for about six months now, competing against both other amateurs and professionals.  I've only finished in the money once, coming in first with this photo.

The topic changes for each contest.  These are our instructions for this week's competition...

As the holiday season starts for most of us and we are entering a very busy season, take a few moments to be"Thankful". Because we are so busy, there are not too many restrictions on this assignment, but it is more of an emotional one, so you want to try and get that through to your viewers.

Pam and I aren't going home for Thanksgiving.  We're spending it here at the marina.  We'll be attending the marina's Thanksgiving dinner with the other cruisers and liveaboards here.  Will I be able to get any good shots of turkeys and stuffing?  Probably not.  Rats.  What  am I going to do for this assignment?

Last night was a beautiful night here in Brunswick, Georgia.  It was 70 degrees, no breeze.  We retired to the aft deck to enjoy a glass of wine and to watch the sunset.  What a great life.  I love living on a boat.  I'm really... thankful...  THAT'S IT!  Grab the camera!

I've been dreaming about doing exactly this for decades.  Cruising, living aboard, being a gypsy.  OK OK, I originally dreamed of doing this on a sailboat, not a trawler, but I've come around.  Trawlers are great liveaboard vessels.  Especially with dogs.  And the view from the stern is exactly the same.  Hey, I have an ice maker.

I'm thankful that I'm living my dream.

I'm thankful for having the light of my life, Pamela, sitting right here next to me, living her new found dream.

I'm thankful that my daughter, Becky, is marrying a great guy in two and a half weeks.

I'm thankful for Ruby and Chevy the pit bulls, and Gertie the cat for adding much to our lives.   OK, and for Olivia my granddog.  She can be cool sometimes too.  Animals help put life in perspective.  Life isn't about getting ahead, or what make of car you drive.  It's all about that stick over there and whether it can be dug up.  Good dog.

I'm thankful for serendipity, being in the right place at the right time to buy Drift Away.   I'm thankful I went back aboard a second time for a second look.  Otherwise, we'd still be in our little apartment in Stamford.  And wo-wo-wo-wo-working.

I'm thankful for beautiful sunsets, evening after evening, here in Brunswick Georgia.

I'm thankful for Georgia's beautiful Golden Isles, and especially Jekyll Island's driftwood beach.   What a cool place to be.  Do folks who grew up here appreciate what they have?

I'm thankful for all my friends, especially the ones I've managed to stay in contact with over the decades.  I'm thankful for the friends I've reconnected with.  I'm thankful for my cousins from Ohio that I've never met, but found through google.  I'm thankful for many new friends that I've met cruising.  I'm even thankful for the many friends I've never met in person, but only know through the wonder of Al Gore's internets and this blog.

I'm thankful for my parents, and my genes, that have made me totally and completely non-materialistic.  Simply stated, I don't care about stuff.  Stuff isn't important.  I don't give a hoot about stuff.  Except my '56 Thunderbird.  That was my Dad's.  I care about that.

I'm thankful that I'm living my life on my terms and not someone else's.  This may be the biggest one.  How many people can say that?  How many folks are shackled to their jobs in order to pay their mortgages?  It's not a nice position to be in, in life.  I was there about thirty years ago.  Not fun.  If you're there, I understand, and I feel for you.  Work towards liberating yourself.  Pay that mortgage off.  Be free.

I hope that those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday have time to reflect on what you're thankful for.  I got a head start.

This isn't a great photo and it won't win the competition, but it is meaningful to me.   I'm thankful for that sunset.  And that glass of wine.  No, it's not a wine glass.  I live on a boat.   Thankfully.