50 Years Around The Sun - Ponderings!

This week I (Meggie) celebrated my 50th year around the sun. And I've been pondering!

I would have to say that this past year has solely been the most challenging year of my life. My cancer diagnosis was the big kahuna of unexpected events, and I feel so deeply for anyone who has to face the words 'you have cancer' coming from an Oncologists mouth. For the hundreds of people who have contacted me since then with their reams of questions. What I can say is: understand that a diagnosis is a name given to a symptom – or a bunch of them depending on your level of internal stagnation. It's not something you need to wear for the rest of your life. Receiving a diagnosis is actually a gift, as it gives you the opportunity to clean up your act. To heal your body, adjust your mindset and enliven your spirit.

Next would be to find your reason to live. Do your own research and find your path to health. Then beat that path relentlessly.

I found my reasons to live. The first and most important, was little ole me. Next was my honey. I am in no way ready to leave him, nor our wonderful life together. And then there was you, our wonderful viewers. Now this was a surprise that I truly love. Who knew that you dear people would have so much impact on my will to live? Little did I realise that I had started something with this video-making enterprise that had become a magic merry-go-round of giving.

Oddly enough, it's not my health per-se that's been the struggle. In-fact with the right mindset, it's been a relatively easy road. What has been challenging for me is that it has cost us every spare penny that we had. It almost cost us our dream. I was uneducated on healthy living. And I broke us financially. And this has been a thorn in my side that I dearly want to redress.

Which is why I've been working so hard on improving our videos, in the hope that the goodness that we put out into the world will come back to us through our viewers and supporters - supporting us. The costs of us putting this all together are high. Our adventure platform Sarean, is getting worked hard, and it's an endless cycle of break and repair alternated with the weekly costs of video uploads, back end management and salt damaged gear. I work 7 days a week and its a challenge to manage it all whilst actively cruising and still in detox mode. It's one that we love though. We receive emails and comments from you, our dear followers that make us smile, cry, laugh and high-5 each other - every week! Who knew that we two humble ocean loving souls could have an impact far and wide across the world.

It has been you that has given me the drive to keep our (and vicariously your) dreams alive. To push harder to stay healthy, to find destinations and seek out stories, places and events that many of you may never experience. To share our years of sailing experience for those of you who wish to get our here themselves. And for this push, I say THANK YOU. SO VERY MUCH good people of planet Sarean. I hope that we get to meet every single one of you as we make our way around this big blue marble, so that I personally can give you a deep and heartfelt hug.

So what did I do with my birthday week? Well! I drove around the anchorage that we're currently in, waving hello and introducing Darren and I to the people that we found on board their vessels, telling them that it was my big 50, asking if they would like to become instant friends and join us for celebrations at a super beach bar that we had scoped out. It was an absolutely super night of sharing stories and meeting new people, and I highly encourage you to do the same if you are in need of some fun and new friends. Cruisers are a pretty cool bunch of people to meet. We even met some followers way out here!

The next night I booked Dazzle and myself a birthday dinner at a local restaurant. We never do this. And so we sat at a table on the oceans edge, under some pretty tree's eating out by candle-light. What a treat! Our waiter hailed from a remote village way up in the northern provinces, and has given us an introduction to meet his chief, and his people – which we are so very excited to do. How lucky are we?

And it gets even better, this Mega Milestone Birthday of mine, as my dear friend Vicky researched a day spa over here and sent me in for an entire afternoon of pampering! I was massaged from head to toe, scrubbed and wrapped in volcanic mud. My hair was oiled, I was showered, then given a platter of fresh fruits to eat as I melted into a warm coconut milk bath in a room filled with essential oils, flowers, candles and beautiful music. I felt like a goddess – and highly recommend that you, whether male or female, go out and book yourself a spa treatment at least once a year!

And so ends Meg's unplanned Mega Birthday Week - and I am feeling utterly grateful. For all the lessons in my life that have brought me to this place, for having the strength to stand for myself, for "my honey, my love" for your big heart,

for having been taught to be curious and to seek adventure - and for my love for this planet and the people on it, who bring me so much joy.

THANK YOU!