:: life IS a beach ::

...I sat on the beach yesterday as my son and his friend (my 2nd son) took on the waves of the mighty Atlantic. Okay, maybe not so mighty compared to those of the Pacific, but fun for sure. Anyway, as I sat there basking in the fact that I was in my happy place, I began to wonder...would the beach hold the same allure for me if I lived there? Would it be one of those situations where you totally take for granted the place that you're living in because you see it every day? As I closed my eyes and listened to the waves crash against the beach, children screaming with delight, and seagulls laughing from above, I thought about how centered and tranquil I feel when I am there. Truthfully, my perfect beach moment came when I went for a walk and not even a 1/4 mile away from where we set up camp it was absolutely empty. Most likely because it was beyond the lifeguard's duty area, but for me...that was perfection. Just me, feet in the surf, pools of water swirling around me in an almost dizzying dance...perfection. While the sounds of children enjoying their experience are wonderful, I actually prefer to only hear what the ocean has to say. Sounds silly, right? It's true though. It speaks to me. It's as if the water rolls in with such force to take away whatever is weighing me down and leaves with those worries allowing me to just be. How often can we do that in our every day lives? I'm pretty sure I can speak for most of you and say almost NEVER. That's the power of the happy place. Even if for a short time, we are able to let go of the weight of the world that we shoulder on a daily basis...I truly believe that is essential...life changing if we can figure out how to accomplish this regularly.

So the answer that I came up with is yes...the beach will always be my perfect place, whether or not I live there. For now, I am happy that it is within a reasonable distance so that day trips are possible. And someday, I hope, I will live in my happy place.