How I write something that takes way too long to get to its point

I'm writing this on a boat from Quonset, Rhode Island, home of the world-famous Quonset Huts (kind of like Pizza Hut, but without pizza) to Martha's Vineyard. We're taking, for the 3rd time in 7 days, something called the Vineyard Fast Ferry.

One of the nicer Quonset huts you'll see.

One good thing about Rhode Island is that nobody ever asks where something is in Rhode Island. If it's in Rhode Island that narrows it down enough. In Providence/near Providence, that's it. And before you start wondering why this involves Quonset, let me state that Martha's Vineyard is a pain in the butt to get to no matter what, especially from Philadelphia. It's an island, so you can go by plane or boat- no other options. The pain can be financial (had we flown into the island airport this weekend from Philly it would have cost $2500 for the two of us for a trip that requires a change of plane in both directions, making a 250 mile trip take 4 1/2 hours from takeoff to landing) or mental (the closest place you can drive for a direct flight is JFK Airport, which is its own kind of anguish) or literal (drive 5 or 6 hours to a ferry and I guarantee your butt will not forgive you).

So Quonset is the place where you can catch something called the Vineyard Fast Ferry. It's the closest ferry to New York and points south, which makes it our best option if we're not flying. Last weekend, we flew to Providence and took a taxi to the ferry. That was okay, but the connections required us first sitting in the teeny ferry terminal (not in a Quonset Hut for some reason) for an hour and a half, and then on the way home, at Providence airport for 2 1/2 hours. This time it was a 4 1/2 hour train ride and then a van shuttle to the ferry.

Admittedly, this is a lot of whining and it's not the point I'm trying to make. I've buried the lede. The point is that on this trip, for the first time, I went outside onto the deck of the ferry to see what that was like. And it was pretty great. You don't really understand what Fast Ferry refers to until you step outside. That boat is cooking; 35 miles an hour over water is really fast. The wind is incredible and feels amazing and ultimately is so strong that it renders you unable to see or breathe normally. I loved it.

I'm about to fall into a trap that is endemic to people my age; everything is a metaphor. Going out on the front of the boat was a step, just a small one, outside my comfort zone. That's where the peak experiences can happen. In your comfort zone, the best you can get is, well, comfortable. Outside is where the high highs and the low lows take place, and if you're prepared to deal with the occasional bad experience, you will find yourself feeling more alive.

I guess this is why mindfulness is so important. If you're truly present, there is no comfort zone. Everything is new and fresh, even if it's familiar. It's something I strive for all the time and manage to achieve sometimes.