At the Beach...

"At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the Sun" 


This quote was posted by a friend of mine this morning. It was one I knew I'd seen before, and it resonates so deeply with me. Living by the currents and following the sun is truly how my life can be defined. And today, rather than flooding you with words, I instead invite you to join me on the beach. Listen to the sound of the waves. Smell the salt air. Feel the cool sand under your toes. 

Even a virtual walk near the ocean can be good for your soul. 

A Gentle Nudge

So I started this daily blog and commitment to walk on the beach every day and you see how well that's worked out for me. First I ran into technical difficulties with internet, inability to upload. Then I began to reevaluate my method of blogging: Blogger, Tumblr, WordPress... Then Ron Burgundy came to town and the movie crew invaded my beach. Then it rained...and rained...and rained some more.

Yeah...so I stopped going to the beach and I stopped writing blog entries too. I've let being busy with work become my excuse. Lame. 

Tonight, I got to spend some time with Carrie, a woman I consider to be intelligent, creative, fun, and just plain cool. She is part-owner of Vixen Vodka, a new and exciting brand that employs the idea of empowering and celebrating women to market their product. I think it's brilliant and am doing whatever I can to help spread the Vixen gospel. Last time Carrie was in town she said that reading this blog inspired her to get out and walk on the beach, despite damp and chilly weather. If I could do it, so could she...no excuses. 

Carrie told me tonight that while she was out on the beach today it had occurred to her that she hadn't seen me posting my daily blog. I nodded guiltily and told her about these ridiculously minor things that had so easily thrown me off my track. I had started the blog with the premise of no excuses but here I am now making them. Ugh! I thanked her for the guilt trip that would prod me into resuming the blog. She laughed and told me that it wasn't a guilt trip, that she was being a mother hen and just giving me a little nudge.

Thank you, Carrie, for the nudge. Tonight I write. Tomorrow I will take my coffee and enjoy a morning walk on the beach. I am thankful for friends who support and encourage and refuse to accept the silly excuses I make to myself. People who want you to be the best that you can be and to do the best that you can do are the very best people of all.

Full Moon Madness

One week every month my world suddenly turns bizarre. People around me act a bit strange and even more craziness tends to pop up from out of nowhere. I feel restless and strangely discontented. And, more often than not, I have a horrible time sleeping. It wasn't until recently that I figured out that this odd recurring pattern of behaviors always takes place during the week of the full moon. 

This is that week. 

That's all I've got to say. 

Change of Plans

Today I decided that I'd pick up a picnic supper and then go get Declan and take him to the beach since it was such a pretty afternoon/evening. I knew that it might be a chore to convince him to do this because my boy does not love walks on the beach as much as I do, and would much rather be sitting somewhere playing Minecraft--something I can't even pretend to understand. Once he's at the beach he enjoys it, he just balks when I tell him that's where we're going. Being the resourceful woman that I am, I figured I'd grab a cookies and cream shake from Chick-fil-A to make it a more attractive option. So...there it was: a plan. A kind of impromptu plan, but a plan nonetheless.

And, as it goes when I plan things...my ex called to see if he could pick Declan up and take him out to dinner. Of course, I am always willing to let him have whatever time he wants with the kiddo, so I decided to meet him in the Village and let them go have dinner while I hung out at the pier and down by the park. It was high tide, so there would be no walking on the beach, but I could still sit in the sun, watch the waves, and hear the ocean. A happy compromise.

The moon will be full in a couple days, so it was already starting to look magnificent as it rose tonight. Catching the sunset over the water is always special for me, so that was just an added treat. All in all, despite the change of plans, it was a very good night.

The moral of the story: a change in plans doesn't have to be a bad thing. Adapt and adjust in a positive way instead of succumbing to disappointment. You may even catch some special moments you might not have otherwise had. Here's what I managed to capture:

Simple Magic

Somehow in the past year, I managed to fall in love. It was completely unexpected and carried with it a touch of nostalgia for days past that I never even realized I had. It was simple, elemental, and I found myself drawn to it more and more. Yet, while I harbored this deep affection and opening longing, I hadn't really fully indulged my desire.

Until yesterday.  And it turned out even better than I'd expected.

You see, not only did I buy the mason jars I've been coveting, I found vintage blue "Perfect Mason" jars issued by Ball as part of a special edition "American Heritage" collection. They are gorgeous!

That's right . . . mason jars. I love 'em. They carry so many memories with them: my grandmother's homemade bread and butter pickles, painting, picnics, childhood days playing in the cellar, summertime, margaritas at Bubba's, and so very much more. Mason jars hold as much magic for me today as they did when they sat on my nightstand with lightning bugs flickering inside. I want to use them as drinking glasses, flower vases, candle holders, and in any other manner that I can imagine or find on Pinterest. The Waterford crystal sitting in my cabinet doesn't enchant me nearly as much as these simple glass jars.

Silly? Maybe. But I could use a little bit of magic in my life. Couldn't we all?!

Keep Smiling

If any of you have followed my Loving the Island Life blog, you know that I'm all about the power of positivity. That blog was initially started to catalog the things I find to smile about each and every day. I discovered no shortage of reasons to smile, but I had a horrible time sitting down to write and post daily. So, because I'm no quitter, I'm trying again. 

This time, anything goes. Whether it's just a couple words and some pictures from my trip to the beach or opening up and putting my heart on the page or an amusing anecdote from the day's events, I'm just endeavoring to write every single day. Today's thoughts come from my horoscope and some words I've heard this week. 

When I pulled up my horoscope to see what The Universe says is in store for Leos today, this is what it read:

LEO Apr, 21, 2013
It is hard to put a smile on your face when you are feeling badly - especially when your mood is caused by the way someone is treating you or oppressing you. But that's exactly when you need to smile the most... when you need to remain positive and upbeat and motivated to be happy. If you are dealing with a worrisome situation now, Leo, put a big, bold smile on your face, and fake it until you make it, because you will make it. You will rise above, you will prove your mettle, and you will thrive.

Earlier this week, I was introduced to a woman and she looked at me and said, "I'm sure we've met somewhere before. I remember your smile." What a compliment! (Especially when I know it's not due to perfect pearly whites or cosmetic enhancement.) It tells me that I can make an impression with just a smile and sunny disposition. This holds true for us all and is something we should remember as we approach each day. Attitude really is everything. 

This morning's reminder from The Universe to keep smiling is an affirmation of what I aspire to do no matter what is going on in my day to day life. And for me that doesn't mean slapping on a grin so people think I'm happy, it means actually being happy. It means staying positive despite frustration or adversity. I do my best to maintain perspective and be grateful for what I have in my life. Admittedly, sometimes I fail, but I always come back to the reality of the fact that my son and I are lucky enough to live on an island in the sun. I love this community and what I do in it, and I have wonderful friends. Life is good. So the smile you see on my face is genuine and it comes easily.

Not only does staying positive improve your outlook on the day, it can also shine the light of hope that someone else needs to find their way out of the darkness or to spark the flame of inspiration. There's a saying, "Be strong. You never know who you're inspiring." Being upbeat and positive despite the curveballs that life throws at you is a way of being strong.

So whether it takes a good song, a look at a picture, a goofy joke, an uplifting chat with a friend, or even a walk on the beach to get you in a happy frame of mind, find your smile and share it freely. It can make a world of difference.

If you need a smile to get you started, here's mine...

A Hand to Hold

Yesterday morning, my heart skipped a beat. Fingers interlaced with mine and clung tightly while another hand reached over to squeeze my wrist just for a second. I looked down at where my son's fingers alternated with my own and saw the loving smile on his freckled face as he let go of my wrist but still clasped his hand together with mine and thought to myself, "That is the best feeling in the world."

You see, my son is ten years old. We were in the hallway walking toward his classroom before school. There were kids and teachers everywhere. I love that he isn't the slightest bit embarrassed or self-conscious about holding my hand and giving me a kiss goodbye when I leave. I know this will change, and probably in the very near future, as his teen years are swiftly approaching, but right now I cherish this voluntary and uninhibited closeness. That tight grasp that comes so easily and naturally to him speaks right to my heart. 

That flood of emotion got me thinking about the simple gesture of holding hands. God, it's powerful! That most basic form of physical connection and shared affection. It can hold comfort, security, solidarity, hope, forgiveness, promise...in a way that nothing else does. 

Maybe I'm just a sentimental fool, but pop music through the years supports me in this. The Beatles sang about holding hands making you "feel happy inside" in "I Wanna Hold Your Hand." And when he was still known as "Hootie," Darius Rucker issued an invitation to a shared life in "Hold My Hand." So, I'm pretty sure it's not just me who thinks holding hands is pretty special. 

Horrific events like the bomb attacks at the Boston Marathon wound my heart and leave me shaken to the core. And I confess that what I long for most in hours of confusion, frustration, and despair is a hand to hold--a touch that assures me that someone else shares my pain and is there through it all. 

I know that for some it's a simple, casual gesture that may not hold any meaning at all, but I believe that the ability to hold the hand of a child, a parent, a lover, or even a friend, is something precious. It's a connection that some people never have. Treasure it when you do.