There is a phenomena that occurs amongst people who "cruise"...
There's a certain look in their eyes... you can see it in an instant, it doesnt matter whether they're in their 50's or 90's, its the same look. Its a glint, a special sparkle, wrinkles in the right places, a certain smile, an uprightness in their posture, a confidence in their walk....
These cruisers are really quite amazing, there is something special about the way they go about their lives. They live with passion, enthusiasm and energy that I have not seen in such numbers before.
I call it the "vitality of cruisers"
There is this amazing energy about them and their lives. They live each day as though it were the last, but not in fear of death, in celebration of life itself. They see everything in positives, very rarely dipping into negative speech, if only for a joke and a giggle. They see the world as a bright place, one to be enjoyed, not agonised over.
You would think these people had been blessed with good fortune and good health, on the contrary, I have met many people whose fortune was marred by terrible health issues and yet they still have this vitality.
I spent a fantastic 20 minutes with a dying woman the other day.
There she was sitting in this auspicious place in the ship, rarely sat in by the passengers. I noticed her energy and said hello, she reciprocated and we began the ritual of "ship-chatting" ... light at first, then into some very deep and personal insights.
She confessed this was her last voyage and she would soon be "dead". She said this in such a matter of fact way, not seeking sympathy, not looking to shock but in joyful acceptance of her lot. I was so confronted by her approach that challenged her with disbelief... no, she assured me she was well and truly on her way with the Big C and it wouldnt be long now.
But.. there was something about her, that look in her eye, love, peace, happiness and there was no anguished feel about the lines in her face, she seemed happy, calm and radiant even! And then she revealed her age and I was completely in shock, she looked to be in her mid to late 50's... in fact, she was in her mid 70's!!! You would never have guessed she was dying... she looked so youthful and healthy.
I took from our meeting the wonderful acceptance of life, the hand it had dealt her and how she had chosen to accept it and make the most of it. Here she was on her last legs (pun intended) and she had chosen to sail the oceans on the QE2, buy herself a sparkling new necklace and sit in one of the most beautiful places in the ship while she enjoyed life for what it was.
I was so inspired by this woman, so touched by her acceptance and so calmed by her quiet knowing, her wisdom and her peaceful happiness.
Having recently lost my father, it was a fresh look at life during the elderly phase, a fresh look at death through the eyes of a dying person and an eye opener for how to really live your life in the face of adversity.
I thanked this woman for her honesty, for sharing such personal and detailed comments with me. Even as we parted company she was still so calm, relaxed and unphased by the amazing event that had just taken place. My world had been rocked, I was impacted right to my very core and in such a wonderful, pleasant and happily profound way.
Life on the QE2 happens in all shapes and sizes, behind the walking sticks, wheelchairs, flatulence and belching lies a sea of people living life to its fullest, with what they have been given.
My appreciation goes out to all those Cruisers with Vitality, for giving me faith that life is a beautiful thing, despite its hardships, it is still a beautiful thing.
