What is it about the ocean that is so calming? Perhaps it’s the majesty and recognition that I am in no way in control. I could easily be swept away in the strength of its waves. Perhaps it is the beauty–the waves rolling in and the sun sparkling on each cap. Or the rhythm–it is ongoing. There is no break in its cadence.

When we lived in Oregon, we found a beach on the coast that we frequented. It is called Canon Beach and is one o the most photographed beaches on the northwest coast due to its rock formations. It’s a small community of artisans. This place was a friend to me in my life as a young mother and counselor. I felt embraced whenever I was there. It is not a gentle coast but rugged and cold and beautiful. The last time we visited before we moved away, I cried when I said goodbye to that slice of ocean. I have not felt the same when leaving any other place. The souvenir I took away is a small plaque that reads, “I go to the sea to breathe.”

That’s how I feel now as I sit on another beach. This is a warmer beach, a tamer beach in Florida. I am reluctant to leave its solace and beauty–even though I will be back tomorrow. I have a lot to do–a great pile of work and if I finish, I will have time to work on a proposal for a publisher. But for this moment, I will continue to breathe with the rhythm of the waves and rest in the embrace of this friend.

I wish for you times to breathe–to breathe deeply and in the rhythm of waves.

(P.S. Just to keep things from being too idyllic, a seagull flew over me while I was writing this and pooped on my hand. Hmm, that can be framed in all sorts of ways, ha!)