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I've heard it said that life begins at 40, but nobody told me I would be shot out of a cannon. When I was 39 I was married, owned a house in the suburbs, and co-owned a business with my wife. After a fairly adventurous life, I thought I was settling down and taking on an identity that I would wear for years to come, and then the ground dissolved beneath my feet.
Despite the difficulties in my relationship, it truly never crossed my mind that I would find myself on my own. I spent several months in a state of emotional free fall. But eventually I asked myself one very healthy question.
I have always loved the Chinese word for crisis. It's made of the characters for danger and opportunity, in other words, a dangerous opportunity. It's not always easy to find opportunity in the midst of crisis, but I finally asked myself, "Is there anything that I've always wanted to do that didn't fit into the context of my marriage?"
The answer came swiftly and clearly. It has been a long-standing dream of mine to journey by sailboat. I suddenly realized I could do it. The ground may have dissolved from beneath my feet, but I discovered that I could float. I bought a small ocean capable sloop, rid myself of nearly everything I owned and moved aboard. I have spent the last year building my sailing skills and refurbishing my 25 year old sailboat. It's almost ready. On the first spring tide in May, the time of syzygy, we depart for a five month journey up the inside passage among the archipelagos of Canada's Pacific coast.
Never in all of my imaginings did I think I would have a partner in this journey. It is truly a blessing that Jiayu has decided to take this journey with me.
（翻譯）
Despite the difficulties in my relationship, it truly never crossed my mind that I would find myself on my own. I spent several months in a state of emotional free fall. But eventually I asked myself one very healthy question.
I have always loved the Chinese word for crisis. It's made of the characters for danger and opportunity, in other words, a dangerous opportunity. It's not always easy to find opportunity in the midst of crisis, but I finally asked myself, "Is there anything that I've always wanted to do that didn't fit into the context of my marriage?"
The answer came swiftly and clearly. It has been a long-standing dream of mine to journey by sailboat. I suddenly realized I could do it. The ground may have dissolved from beneath my feet, but I discovered that I could float. I bought a small ocean capable sloop, rid myself of nearly everything I owned and moved aboard. I have spent the last year building my sailing skills and refurbishing my 25 year old sailboat. It's almost ready. On the first spring tide in May, the time of syzygy, we depart for a five month journey up the inside passage among the archipelagos of Canada's Pacific coast.
Never in all of my imaginings did I think I would have a partner in this journey. It is truly a blessing that Jiayu has decided to take this journey with me.
（翻譯）
我曾聽說人生四十才開始，但是沒有人告訴我，我四十之後的人生是從砲筒中被射出來的。39歲時我已婚，在郊區擁有一棟房子，和當時的妻子共同經營事業。在度過一段還算冒險的人生之後，我以為我開始穩定下來，我以為會有好長一段時間繼續這樣的身份認同，然而腳下的地面瞬間瓦解。
雖然我的親密關係困難重重，我真的從未想到我會恢復單身。好幾個月，我都處於情緒直線下墜的狀態，但是，我終究問了自己一個非常健康的問題。
一直以來，我很喜歡「危機」這個中文，它是由危險和機會兩個字組成。換句話說，一個危險的機會。在危機中尋找機會並不總是容易，但我終究自問：「在我的婚姻中，有沒有任何我一直希望從事，卻無法在婚姻中如願的事情？」
答案來的非常迅速與清晰。我長久以來的夢想便是駕著帆船航行。我突然驚覺我可以實踐夢想。我腳下的地面雖然瞬間瓦解，但是我發現我還可以漂浮！我買了一艘可跨洋的單桅小帆船，處理掉大部分我所擁有的，然後搬到船上。去年一整年，我練習建立我的航行技術，整頓這艘25歲的帆船。一切幾乎就緒。在五月的第一個滿潮，朔望月之時，我們出發，開始我們航向加拿大太平洋岸的內海航道的五個月旅程。
讓我完全想像不到的，是在這趟旅程中，我居然會有一個伴侶。Jiayu決定和我共度這趟旅程真是一件幸福的事。
