It’s Impossible To Be Sad Out Here

I consider a person lucky if they find the place they’re supposed to be in life.  If you find a job that totally fulfills you, you’ve made it.  If you find a home that you’d call your “dream home,” you’ve made it.

For me?  I know where I’m happiest…  and that’s floating on the river.

I finally launched my boat last night after months of land-lubbing and anticipating my aquatic return.  The moment that boat untethers from the dock for the first time in the Spring is such a special moment, and last night, it was everything I remembered it being.  I put the boat in gear and toodled up the river, remembering all the special memories from years past on the Willamette.  The sun is on your face.  You toss a wave to boaters going the other direction.  You see what has changed along the riverbank.  You note the position of this year’s osprey nests.  You keep mental track of the logs you see hung up on pilings.  You listen to the hum of the outboard and see if you can detect any problems.  And every moment is special.

Most importantly, you forget about your problems.  We all have stress.  We all face challenges that sometimes seem like too much.  But for me…  that all washes away as the current passes me by.

My boat is my perfect place.  I hope you find one too.

~Jake from 98.7 The Bull