Associate and current cruise volunteer!)
It’s sunny, it’s bittersweet, and it’s completely fantastic! This
is my first cruise. I spent Day 1 navigating my way around this
colossus of a boat. I started to feel a bit seasick, so I took some
pill the front desk graciously provided. Day 2 I spent in a sleepy
haze, the after-effect of the seasickness medication. I’m feeling
better now, but it is a little unnerving being able to feel the
boat rock back and forth.
Thank goodness that yesterday morning we came back to land and
docked at Port Canaveral, near the space station! Dustin, Sara and
I spent the early afternoon basking in the sun and splashing in the
waves at Cocoa Beach. While there, I witnessed a teachable moment
that reminded me once again how important it is that LGBTQ people
share their personal stories with strangers.
A lesbian couple had parked their towels next to ours and behind a
family of a mom, dad and three kids. Soon, the mom started chatting
to the couple about her family. She joked, “Number three was a
surprise. Trust me, you girls need to be careful. Unexpected
pregnancy is rough!”
The couple glanced at each other, and one said, “The cost of
getting pregnant is expensive for us.” Thus began a
conversation between the two families about the expense of
insemination and the hardships of being same-sex parents. Through
sharing their story, the lesbian couple was able to enlighten and
educate. Now, when that mom and dad go vote, it is going to be that
couple on Cocoa Beach that is in the back of their minds.
Now we’re back at sea and heading for Key West. I know we’re all
excited to get on shore again and explore. In the meantime, I’m
going to go back to enjoying the morning sun and helping out
wherever I can. In fact, I see Dustin across the way, waving me
over. Duty calls.