The pelicans streamed in front of our boat in a single-file line, skimming the surface of the water so closely and so gracefully that they would make any surfer envious. They kept coming, in a stream — a ribbon of birds floating above the waves, heading south. Over a hundred of them there must have been.
There was one place where they rose up and came down again, making a bell curve of birds catching some unseen updraft off the surface.
It was a perfect day for sailing off the Oceanside coast, with a steady breeze giving us good speed, none of the rain we had feared and just enough swell to make it interesting. The pelicans put it over the top.
None of us had ever seen that many pelicans together at once. Five or six you’ll see, maybe a dozen, but never this many. My husband and I and the crew of the catamaran from BajaSail.net were mesmerized watching them. Finally the line petered out and they became smaller and smaller, an ellipsis disappearing over the crests of the waves.
It was the kind of moment you can’t plan for and are damn lucky you are paying attention enough to notice. Watching them go, I realized that we had just gotten the best anniversary present ever, for it so happens that 18 years ago to the day my husband and I took our vows of for better or worse in front of family and friends and then celebrated with them on a boat docked in San Diego Bay. No pelicans that day, but a stellar April afternoon regardless.
Those intervening years have had their for betters, and indeed their for worses, but I realize I’m pretty lucky to have someone who has rolled with the changes and still wants to be with me.
Someone who has listened to my career angst as an unhappy engineer, celebrated with me when I got my first article published and reminds me to keep querying when I get a rejection.
He also thanks me for doing the grocery shopping and laundry, doesn’t mind the “interesting” vegetarian dishes I sometimes spring on the family, and moves the furniture when he vacuums the carpets (I hate vacuuming the carpets).
He provides free, patient tech support for my parents, claps for me at karaoke as long as I don’t ask him to sing, and knows that I will probably never stop talking to myself even though it bugs him.
He also reads every one of my blog posts.
So thanks, sweetheart — for opening my eyes to the elegance and grace of pelicans, and so much more.
Photo of Pelican courtesy Elizabeth Haslam via Creative Commons license
Love the photo for this post. (I enjoyed the post as well, of course.) So happy for you that you found someone who "still wants to be with you" after eighteen years--and is a pretty darned loveable guy to the rest of the family as well! I keep hoping my guy like that is just around some corner somewhere. Happy Belated Anniversary, Louise & Jim.
<3 <3 <3 XOXOXO
Posted by: Ingrid | April 18, 2011 at 03:45 PM
"rolled with the changes," great line.
Posted by: Doug Taber | June 14, 2011 at 10:24 PM
Thanks, Doug. I appreciate it.
Posted by: Louise | June 20, 2011 at 05:14 PM