Toes in the Sand

I live near a mall. That usually isn’t important or relevant except now it’s Christmastime. Nearly every time I forget not to drive past the mall parking lot I say a choice expletive.

Holidays can be a stressful time. It seems that I have so many errands that I wonder how I ever got any of them done when I wasn’t on vacation from work. In addition to errands, there are the usual responsibilities like keeping my exercise routine going, maintaining my meditation practice, and keeping in touch with family and friends. The additional holiday responsibilities can put a lot of pressure on all of us and I have learned how important it is to do things to remain grounded.

So in the middle of all of my frantic running around the other day, I decided to stop at the beach. I only had fifteen minutes to spare and just enough change to feed the meter. I took off my shoes and walked across the sand. I stood near a lifeguard tower and watched the birds and the ocean waves. I watched the surfers riding the waves. I breathed deeply.

Being in the sand grounded me. It renewed my peace of mind and reminded me of what was of the utmost importance.

The holidays are not really about errands and responsibilities; they are about love. It is important that we all take the time to ground ourselves during this stressful time and remember what matters most. Toes in the sand.




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