TWENTY YEARS TO SET SAIL

by Phyllis Jenkins

My answer was always a firm “No”! For years, my husband, Dave, asked, “What do you think about going on a cruise?” No cruise for me. End of conversation. It wasn’t that I didn’t love to travel. I did. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him. I did. But for me, it was a no-brainer. I didn’t know how to swim and had a childhood fear of water.

But as our 20th wedding anniversary approached, something shifted. Maybe it was love. Maybe it was maturity. Maybe it was the quiet realization that fear had been steering this decision long enough.

So I said yes.

The night before our voyage, I couldn’t sleep. No, it wasn’t from being too excited; anxiety had wrapped around me like a blanket. But I couldn’t back out now. So I prayed for the courage to keep my word and to celebrate our twentieth wedding anniversary on a Caribbean cruise.

I will never forget the moment my foot stepped onto that magnificent ship. It was as if someone flipped a switch inside me. The fear I had carried most of my life didn’t fade slowly. It vanished, instantly. In its place was excitement and something even sweeter, freedom.

This wasn’t just a cruise. It was our 20th-anniversary celebration, and from the very first day, it felt magical. I surprised my husband by walking confidently to the top deck and gazing out over the endless blue waters. The very ocean that once intimidated me now felt breathtaking, exhilarating, and alive.

And then came game show night. We were selected as one of the couples to compete on The Newlywed Game. Twenty years of marriage on display, laughter echoing through the theater, and playful answers. Guess what? We won.

Standing there together, smiling like newlyweds instead of twenty-year veterans, I realized something beautiful. The voyage wasn’t just across the sea. It was into a new chapter of courage, joy, and rediscovered adventure.

Vacationing on a cruise ship now sits at the very top of my travel list. Somewhere between that first hesitant step onboard and today, I’ve grown more adventurous than I ever imagined. I still laugh when I think about holding a baby monkey at one of our ports of call. Yep, this woman who once feared deep water was suddenly fearless enough to cradle a tiny creature in her hands.

A few years later, I even mixed business with pleasure by teaching a “Telling Your Stories” workshop on a retreat cruise. Imagine that. The same ocean that once intimidated me became the backdrop for purpose, connection, and new friendships. I’ve met wonderful people from all walks of life, tasted foods I never would have ordered at home, and discovered that there is something deeply peaceful about sitting on a private balcony, watching the sun dip below the horizon.

If you are afraid to cruise, learn from me. Sometimes the fear is far greater than the reality. Sometimes the very thing you resist becomes the experience that stretches you, refreshes you, and reminds you that life is still full of firsts, even in your sixties.

You may not think of yourself as adventurous, but perhaps a voyage is waiting for you, too. Don’t let hesitation anchor you to the shore. Step onboard. You might just discover that the calm you’ve been looking for is waiting on the other side of your yes.