Dim but Very Bright

The dim light glows every morning and evening - NPR is the set station on the radio. We've traded countless choices on Hulu and Netflix for news and stories.  Without (reliable) internet service, NPR has become our go-to entertainment. Maybe entertainment isn't the right word; the station has become our comforting background and companion during breakfast and dinner. No more fear-generating news and drama on the tube.



We do hear the phrase "fiscal cliff" too often, but it's tempered by things like a societal analysis about the cancellation of the "Dirty Jobs" show (which shows happy hard-working men and women do jobs that are neccessary and filthy) while shows like "Honey Boo Boo" are all the rage. The reporter was validating how hard so many Americans work and a show that highlights that is increasingly becoming beat out by shows which glamorize less-than-stellar behavior. When this happens, our norm for living and life changes.

My husband said the other day that he realized how he had spent the last two years on land, and in front of the t.v. I talked about how much I ate. We both came to the conclusion that we heavily consumed while living on land. For us, boat life is healthier and more fulfilling. This wouldn't be the case for everyone, but it is true for us. Last night we took a one-mile walk with the pooch, partly hand-in-hand, among the setting sun and the falling leaves. It's been years since we've had walk like that.

It might seem to some that our life is less rich, but it's dim in a good way. Every morning and night we're lit by a few bulbs but our experience together is bright. Through DVDs from Netflix, NPR in the background, and at times pure silence, I feel like I'm talking deeper with my husband and definitely strengthening our bond. There's so much more time together and for us, it works!

And, the pooch is steadily getting over his "home"sickness. He no longer howls when we leave for work. I think he's realizing that trading stairs and windows for longer walks outside and chasing rabbits off the leash is a much better way to live. At least that's what my pooch-intuition is telling me.