Yes indeed, when it comes to trying new activities this summer, it is as Shakespeare penned, “the world is mine (or your) oyster.” Originally used as a line in his play, The Merry Widows of Windsor as a sort of threat, its intent has been long forgotten; today we use the phrase as a way to proclaim abundant opportunity.
Summer is the perfect time to invest in something new and different. Because we each carry our own unique dreams, the ream of possibilities is infinite. Perhaps you dream of piloting a plane, creating cartoons, speaking a new language, painting a mural, climbing a mountain or playing the tuba.
Amy Gilbert, VEHI PATH’s wellness coordinator, is keeping bees. When she first was all abuzz about this, I was mystified. Why would anyone want to take up beekeeping? After all I hate the pain and swelling associated with bee stings. And yet, she said she was moved to do so because of the crisis in the bee population and her recognition that without sufficient bees to pollinate our gardens, our food supply was in jeopardy. The more she read about bees the more obsessed she became.
Amy not only had to buy the bees but in order to protect the bees from hungry bears she had to build fencing and then she had to add power to the fencing. She had to ha
ve her hives inspected (did you know the state has bee inspectors on the payroll?) and recently when the bees swarmed, her husband dashed out to purchase a new box for the swarming bees. Nonetheless Amy is in for the long haul. She says bees are fascinating creatures and can teach us so much about how nature operates.
Lisa Locke, VSBIT’s administrative assistant, decided to get back on a bicycle after a 20 year hiatus. As she describes it, she was first intrigued by seeing photos of her friend and family cycling on the Burlington bicycle path; “the scenery was fantastic and they seemed so happy.” According to Lisa, however, what truly got her on the saddle was a desire to find an activity that would hold her attention and help her get in better shape. Using a borrowed bicycle, she took her first 17.67 mile ride and was hooked. Now she has her own bicycle and is enjoying poaching the new bike trails (they are not officially open yet) between Morrisville and Jeffersonville.
I, on the other hand, opted for what I imagined would be a sedate and fairly easy new activity; sailing 101. I will readily admit, however, that until recently sailing was not on my bucket list because I thought it was too slow. After 15 years of crossing the sandbar during the summer months and gazing upon the lovely moored sailboats, I began to fantasize about adding a sailboat to the fleet. How nice it would be, I thought to pass by my boat every morning and occasionally take it out for an evening sail on the lake.
So I signed up for a full weekend of sailing lessons. And yet, after day one, I was ready to throw in the towel. Not only did I find determining the wind’s direction somewhat baffling, sailing has a whole new language of words and definitions. Most disheartening was when I was informed that sailing is more about the process than the destination, as one’s projected destination is weather dependent. I knew then I was truly out of my comfort zone.
A few nights ago, armed with plenty of self-talk, I got back on the boat. Regardless of how foreign the concepts, I am not ready to give up on the dream of my little sailboat quite yet. While I recognize that becoming a competent sailor is going to take much more than a 16 hour course and I am going to need a very patient instructor, I can certainly accomplish this not-so-easy for me challenge.
Then again, every time the instructor tests us on what to do when there’s a man overboard and throws a cushion in the water to simulate this, it takes all my willpower to stay in the boat. I know I would be the perfect role model of woman overboard. And what’s with the cushion anyway? Cushions don’t feel, sound or weigh as much as a person in distress.
We look forward to seeing what new activities you are exploring this summer.
Heads up, coming about.
See you on the PATH ahead.