Every time I am at a beach, I can’t help but be mesmerized by the tide. I can literally just sit and watch it for hours. The waves rise and fall in such a rhythmic pattern, it is as if I become a small child again snuggled up in the protective arms of my mother as she rocks me to sleep. Its peaceful and calming motion is somehow enhanced by the low din of waves breaking on the beach and the occasional seagull crying out in the distance. I feel as if the world is holding me tightly as the waves sing me a soft lullaby. Nothing else in the world has such a profound effect on my mood, my thoughts, and inner peace. I feel connected to all that ever was and all that ever will be.
Many times I have tried to apply reason and logic to this event. It is so predictable and repeatable, it happens every time I am on the beach. But for some reason, it is not explainable. I can’t apply science or logic to gain an understanding of what draws me to the water and why I feel the connection, let alone why it provides such rejuvenation to my mind and spirit. All I can see is the raw beauty of such a majestic view. After twenty plus years of experiencing this phenomenon, I am still no closer to an answer but my epiphany is this: I do not need to understand, I simply need to believe and be grateful.
Applying that discovery to other aspects of my life appears to have afforded me a better understanding of my connection with the sea. What I hold most dear in this world is also something that I cannot explain or completely understand but it is something that I believe in. I cannot touch it but I feel it, I cannot see it but I know it is present in every moment of my life. And I know that without it, my life would mean nothing. It ebbs and flows just like the tide. Some days it is calm and quiet and others it is more challenging and even borders on being difficult. But no matter what happens it is always there. I have been blessed to have a life filled with love. It is what connects me to all of the people who are important in my world and who give my life and my journey meaning.
Each time I return to the shore, I am in awe of how simple and yet how magnificent it is to behold. It reconnects me with the most basic side of nature and reminds me to appreciate its simplicity and beauty, just as I should appreciate every moment of my life and the love which fills it. I refocus my perspective on the beauty that fills the world and my life.