She allowed herself to escape from the outside world for just a moment. She felt liberated as she turned her back on it all, leaving behind the people, chaos and chatter of noise. Just herself, her thoughts and the beach around her. She shook off the guilt that she should be doing something else. She reminded herself that she was allowed a few moments to be alone, just to be herself and not answer to the needs of anyone else but her own.
She paused as she nestled her feet into the sand and soaked in the silence. It has been so busy lately that her feet had not touched the ground and it felt good to stop and let the sand squeeze between her toes. She knew that life was not just busy for her but for everyone else too. It seemed like there was always a place to be, people to see, things to do. A chaotic life had almost seemed to become the norm for so many.
She wondered how many others out there took the time to just listen to the silence every now and then?
She gazed her eyes around taking the time to appreciate the landscape that surrounded her. She had walked the same path so many times but was often so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she had not taken the time to study its beauty. The way the sun peaked out from behind the clouds glistening off the ocean, the different cries of the many birds overhead or even the salty smell of beach. How could she have not noticed this before?
She wondered how many other people took a moment to study the small details of beauty along the same road they take daily.
She allowed herself to focus on herself as she drew in a deep breath. A rise and fall of the chest as the body fulls with life. A simple reflex that she took for granted. As she took in a deep inhale, she paused for a moment to appreciate its significance. As she exhaled she thought of all the others out there that were at this same moment taking their last breath, ending their own existence.
She thought about how she lived like she was immortal, thinking she had a thousand tomorrows. That mental list of things she had in her head that she kept putting off until tomorrow… call a friend, play with the kids, take a walk out on her own…..
She wondered how many people had their own mental lists of things to do tomorrow.
She resisted the urge to look at her watch, not wanting to acknowledge time for moment. It was too easy to realise how quickly time can pass. How quickly today become tomorrow and even quicker, how today becomes yesterday. The days turn into weeks and weeks into years. She instead, let herself stand there a little bit longer just to soak in the beauty, looking at it as if it was the last time.
In that one moment she learnt to be grateful. Grateful for a breath, for the beauty of the nature that surrounds her and grateful for all that she had. But most importantly of all, she learnt to be grateful for today.
The truth is tomorrow is never guaranteed.
quelquechosedifferent.com 