Smooth sand littered with a few shells was my first
impression of the beach at St. Augustine.
We had a heyday picking up those shells that lie on the beach margin. What a variety of shapes and sizes and
colors! Eager to get to the waves we
hurried across a debris field filled with tiny, sharp shells that dug into our
tender feet with each step. I found
myself slowing and then stopping…if I just stood on the shells, my feet didn’t
hurt!
But, the ocean whispered to me. I persevered and soon was walking on an
expanse of sand washed smooth by the waves.
Standing at the edge the waves teased me. Some barely caressed my toes while others
crashed into my knees. With each wave shocked
me with its coolness; I felt the sand continued to shift beneath my feet.
My journey across the landscape of sand to ocean seems a
metaphor for life. At times we stand in
the margins looking with eager anticipation at what lies just outside our
grasp. We are on the edge of the action
and remember with joy what has come before.
Perhaps we rush forward without understanding what challenges and
learning lie in the path of our destination.
But soon we realize that the journey is the
destination. And, on the path, we find
our challenges…those debris fields. We
feel those sharp edges that either slow us down or paralyze us. We may delude our self into believing that if
we do not move, we won’t hurt or suffer. At some point we realize the cost of inertia
and begin to move.
With curious daring and courage we discover ways to meet our
challenges. We gain the impetus to move
past the challenges of our debris field and bask in the benefits of our
success. This is the place of
possibility and newness. Within this
space we embrace the dynamic, organic way of transformation. Here we rest in the present moment while
enjoying the ebb and flow of our lives.
We feel the breeze gently caress our being. We are present, aware, and enjoying the
moment while knowing this place is a respite and a reward for challenges well
met.
Here’s to our companions curious daring and courage. May
they always walk with us on the journey!
Looking forward with Courage,
Vanessa
P.S. Watch my interview on FirstCoast.tv
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