I went kayaking again this week.
Pure bliss.
The hubby went this time too. He didn’t have a kayak (I’ve rectified this now) but said he’d love to join me and go fishing while I paddled around the lake so off we went.
It was a beautiful night and just what I needed. After a full day with the kids, any time being able to kick back is much needed powerful stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with my grandkids and we had a super day at the library and out for Mexican for lunch…it’s just a lot and I need some downtime at the end of the day.
As I looked around me, I saw a mix of nature and homes…every once in a while, I’d hear a car go by. I feel like I have my own little paradise in the midst of the chaos of the world…chaos that sometimes gets more attention than it deserves.
It occurred to me that sometimes we feel like a situation or environment needs to be perfect…and so we keep adjusting. We tweak here and there. And then we tweak some more. I’m a black and white thinker, by nature, and a strategic thinker so this is very much my MO.
Truth is, there is perfection in every situation…in every environment. Sure things sometimes need to be tweaked…I’d never argue that one BUT how often do we miss the beauty that is already there because we are looking for what to tweak next?
When I’m out kayaking, I can choose to focus on the car sounds or the huge group of people on the beach or all the houses packed like sardines along the shoreline and wish it were different OR I can choose to focus on my time in my kayak…focus on the mama duck and all her babies swimming along just a few feet away from me.
I can focus on the blue heron who soared in front of me at face level as he looked for a safe place to land for a while (wish I had a picture of that one!). I can focus on the warm sun that feeds my soul and the sparkles along the water.
I can even focus on all the people around me also having fun…enjoying what’s there in front of them. I can focus on the homes, filled with love and laughter who’s yards are filled with beautiful flowers and shorelines showing how much they also enjoy their surroundings.
And the cars? Well, that’s what got me to the water in the first place and I’m truly grateful.
My heart is full.
Some day I may join you. That looked fabulous.
Oh how lovely Michele. Just reading about your wonderful trip down the water and seeing your photos makes me take a deep breath and relax a bit. What a perfect way to wind down after a kid-busy day and then get to see a mom duck with her brood – how fun!
My son just started kayaking and bought his own. He takes it to work and if it is nice after work he goes kayaking. I have never been in one. I have been in boats and canoes, but no kayak.
Oh, so true! I was recording an audio the other day and it turned out there was a lot of background noise. Yet, I never even noticed until I listened back to the recording. To me my home is this quiet, safe place.
Sounds wonderful. I had a Blue Heron visit at the water this morning. Just standing there, taking it all in.