Every once in a while you feel the need to retreat. To step back from the 9 to 5, the ringing phones, the never ending emails. A necessary reset to get your heart back in the right place. I took a Happy & Well Day off last Monday. Did a few quick chores and grabbed my beach chair, telling myself “Just an hour will do”. A beautiful day on the beach in early August in Sandbridge. Looking to the left and right, families scattered about, on the beach, in the water, fishing, playing toss. Amazed that our beach has remained so pleasantly perfect and not packed with people. Room to just be. Contempt to just watch the gentle waves roll in, I became mesmerized with the passing dolphins and pelicans who were plentiful as the schools of fish were active on the water’s surface. I knew the spout of water that I caught out of the corner of my eye must be a pelican swooping down to grab lunch. And then a few minutes later, again, this time closer.
And then a complete realization that a gray whale was cruising down the coastline. So close I thought I could have touched him. His graceful majestic presence literally cast a spell on the beach. Moms and Dads grabbed their sons and daughters and pointed excitedly, showing them something most people never see in their lifetime in its natural environment. An older man stood near me with his bride and didn’t say a word to each other. Just held hands and watched. We all watched until this magical moment had to end, as he cruised on up the coast on his whale journey. I secretly kept saying to myself “Let me see you one more time” but he was out of sight. Out of sight but not out of mind. I have thought about that whale many times in the last week. Hoping he stays safe and gets to cruise down the coast over and over for many years to come. As I walked home at the end of the day, I passed the same older couple that stood hand n hand. He recognized me and smiled, saying “what a gift today was”. Yes indeed.
