Image by Aurélien Barre from Pixabay Answering the call… what's it mean? Not what it would have meant if I had written this several years ago. Then it would have been about following your heart, your dreams, your passion. Creating a life or work that calls to you. Today, it's something much simpler. A gentle and fairly easy way to tend my heart. (if you missed last week's post from guest blogger, Heather Ross, you can find Tending Your Heart here).
For the third time this week, the birds, ocean, and sun called me to sunrise. For the previous nine weeks, I often slept til 8 or 9, but now, with 3 days left in Hilton Head, I don't want to miss it. I started my 60th birthday with a solo sunrise and lots of tears because there is grief about entering a new year without my son, Nate, physically here. And because sunrise at the ocean breaks my heart open for some reason. Even today it brought tears. There's a primitive force that I feel in my heart.
This morning, most people had already left or were leaving. Some would say I'd missed it because I wasn't there for the breaking on the horizon moment. I knew that would be the case and still I went. Some would say it wasn't very dramatic because there weren't many clouds. The breaking of a new day is always a miracle, and I rarely rise to greet it, to celebrate it - so with or without clouds, it's a powerful force, a tremendous beauty to me. I'm glad I was there mostly alone, so I could take it in, feel, cry, let the sun and the wind caress my face while I closed my eyes and communed with, joined with them. It's breathtaking, and I'm glad I answered the call and gave myself this time with nature rather than lying in bed trying to go back to sleep. No, I didn’t want to miss these moments in my last days here. I’m not a National Geographic photographer – it’s not about the perfect image – it’s about being there for it, feeling the rhythm of nature, the steadiness and impermanence in the sand as the ocean washes over the beach.
Today I wrote 4EVER LOVE in the sand at the shoreline, and while it stayed untouched for a few minutes, it wasn’t long before it was quickly, gently swooped away, yet still there. Nothing can take it away. For some reason I like offering it up to the sands and the ocean – to mingle with, become a part of these forces of beauty and nature.
To breathe in the damp morning air, to bathe in the resonant sound of waves, the wind, the birdsong – it takes me away from the worries of the day, the troubles of our times, the political divide that’s already and ever escalating. Just for a few moments, I can truly feel peace, contentment, and I don’t need to do anything, produce anything, think about anything, worry about anything. I can just breathe, listen, and take in the gift of another new day. That, my friends, is a beautiful miracle that I will savor.
Even now, hours later as I sit at the kitchen table, typing up this reflection, it fills my heart, soothes, my soul, and takes me over with its magnificence. Captivates me. Entrances and enchants me. Beauty. Wonder. Awe. These are a few of my favorite things. Happy to share them with you!
What is it that brings you this sense of wonder and awe? How can you give yourself more moments with gifts for your heart and soul? What call is awaiting your response? Please share!!
For the third time this week, the birds, ocean, and sun called me to sunrise. For the previous nine weeks, I often slept til 8 or 9, but now, with 3 days left in Hilton Head, I don't want to miss it. I started my 60th birthday with a solo sunrise and lots of tears because there is grief about entering a new year without my son, Nate, physically here. And because sunrise at the ocean breaks my heart open for some reason. Even today it brought tears. There's a primitive force that I feel in my heart.
This morning, most people had already left or were leaving. Some would say I'd missed it because I wasn't there for the breaking on the horizon moment. I knew that would be the case and still I went. Some would say it wasn't very dramatic because there weren't many clouds. The breaking of a new day is always a miracle, and I rarely rise to greet it, to celebrate it - so with or without clouds, it's a powerful force, a tremendous beauty to me. I'm glad I was there mostly alone, so I could take it in, feel, cry, let the sun and the wind caress my face while I closed my eyes and communed with, joined with them. It's breathtaking, and I'm glad I answered the call and gave myself this time with nature rather than lying in bed trying to go back to sleep. No, I didn’t want to miss these moments in my last days here. I’m not a National Geographic photographer – it’s not about the perfect image – it’s about being there for it, feeling the rhythm of nature, the steadiness and impermanence in the sand as the ocean washes over the beach.
Today I wrote 4EVER LOVE in the sand at the shoreline, and while it stayed untouched for a few minutes, it wasn’t long before it was quickly, gently swooped away, yet still there. Nothing can take it away. For some reason I like offering it up to the sands and the ocean – to mingle with, become a part of these forces of beauty and nature.
To breathe in the damp morning air, to bathe in the resonant sound of waves, the wind, the birdsong – it takes me away from the worries of the day, the troubles of our times, the political divide that’s already and ever escalating. Just for a few moments, I can truly feel peace, contentment, and I don’t need to do anything, produce anything, think about anything, worry about anything. I can just breathe, listen, and take in the gift of another new day. That, my friends, is a beautiful miracle that I will savor.
Even now, hours later as I sit at the kitchen table, typing up this reflection, it fills my heart, soothes, my soul, and takes me over with its magnificence. Captivates me. Entrances and enchants me. Beauty. Wonder. Awe. These are a few of my favorite things. Happy to share them with you!
What is it that brings you this sense of wonder and awe? How can you give yourself more moments with gifts for your heart and soul? What call is awaiting your response? Please share!!
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