Recently I drove to the beach for a few days of renewal. Sometimes life can get stagnant. You fall back into old patterns, or you are stuck in the everyday hum drum just checking off boxes. It is a good idea to slow down and refresh your spirit.
My two choices for getting away are beaches and mountains. I was born in the mountainous state of Colorado and finding my way home is always a nostalgic euphoric experience. However, this year I chose the beach because it was closer to home, I had not had the opportunity all summer to swim much, and ocean waves are hypnotic and a great thinking space.
Vacationing alone is different. Usually, I go on road trips to visit friends since I am single. However, I wanted to do this by myself. Give myself breathing room for creative juices to flow in writing, induce mental clarity and relaxing to my own rhythms. I highly recommend it.
Venturing to the beach one of these warm, sunny days I set up my little space. I brought along a book to read, my phone for pictures, chair for sitting, towel for drying off, sunscreen for the blistering warmth and water to drink. I sat down for a few minutes just to look around and then ventured down to the water to wade in and cool off. Then I took a walk along the shoreline.
I found the usual shells, birds swooping in, waves crashing in. There was an unusual looking jelly fish, a very dead half eaten fish, splashes of dried seaweed. I noticed as the waves would recede little shells popped up and then crawled back down into the sand obviously filled with little crabs. I thought this is the life. Simple: Peaceful: Kind.
Have you heard the phrase “the world is your oyster”? This means that you have every opportunity available to you that life has to offer, you need only look and work for it. I used to think that was the way to live. Say “yes” and get it done. Now I am at a place in life where I think slowing down and doing things intentionally to bring peace and tranquility into my life is a much better plan. Not every opportunity is right one. Not all the door knocks are meant to be opened. I mean, I don’t even like the world half the time, do you?
How about we sit in the quiet ebb and flow of moving one foot in front of the other? Cracking open the daily devotional and scripture before our feet hit the floor? Slowly, methodically making changes for the better instead of rushing into something that will ultimately crash into the shore and disappear?
Three days sitting and watching the shore was deep work. One day I was sitting on a bench outside the ferry stop watching the water and the ships going by. Dolphins were everywhere. It struck me as they were flipping their tails up or arching their bodies into a dive that they were home: This is the life. Simple. Peaceful. Kind.
The ships of the world interrupt the dolphin’s home and they have to maneuver their way through the water away from danger. That is so much like living in the world. We cannot avoid the chaos, but we can maneuver our way around and away from danger. We can choose to walk forward in our purpose, without compromising our values to achieve it. We can love others well even if we do not share the same beliefs. We can say no to things that do not honor our boundaries. We can live a more simple, peaceful and kind life. We can do hard things. We can.
When the water flowed through my toes and I felt the sun’s rays upon my skin, the cool breeze wafting the heat away I could hear God speaking to my heart. I came away maybe a little more simple, peaceful and kind. Refresh and restore your soul as often as you can so that when the ships threaten to enter your sacred waters you are as brave and courageous as the dolphins.
Susanne Moore 