A Spot of Serenity
The endless blue rippling. The salty breeze refreshing. The heartbeat of the crashing waves. The cotton candy sky, painted with strokes of saffron, tangerine, and coral. A pod of dolphins leaping in the distance, going further, further, further….gone. As I stand on the porch, these are the senses that flood over me. I lean over, letting my hair dance with the wind, twirls and tumbles. Something about my surroundings is so statically serene, so vitally dynamic. And in a way, my environment rejuvenates me, the sun soaking through my pores, replacing the darkness of stress with a rich lightness. As I gaze at the vast ocean, I feel small. Not the kind of insignificance I feel when my numbers taunt me, negating my self-worth. It’s a kind of relative, freeing insignificance, reminding me that my problems are microscopic to the eyes of the universe. To be humbled by this immensity and content with that is lightening.
Unfortunately, it’s not everyday that I get to wander by the ocean, the embodiment of all things tranquil. Most days, I am at my house, far from the water, far from tranquility….In an environment full of stress and congestion, it is easy to match the chaos of my surroundings, losing a piece of myself in the process. In an environment that resembles an overwhelming, problem-filled jungle more than a reinvigorating, solution-filled sea of blue, it is easy to get lost. It is perfect for breeding a parasitic eating disorder, making you become a mere puppet of an intoxicating force.
But why can’t we find serene oases within our dry environments? Why can’t we find escapes in surprising places? Why can’t we create beauty? The answer to these questions is, “We can.” We may not all have an endless, blue ocean to wash away our problems, but we do have the power to transform, to discover. We can find spots of serenity—even as simple as a comforting corner in a bedroom—to let go. Or go outside. It’s inexplicably amazing how fresh air can make the burdens on our shoulders evaporate. Take a walk outside for 5 minutes, staring up at the sky and listening to music as your hair dances with the wind. Find time to appreciate the air. Find time to find yourself. Find your endless, grounding blue.