Sunday, January 5, 2014

Rare Day On the Shore

Nature has always been associated with fantasy. The faeries dance among the mushrooms in the deep forests. Magical creatures come out of the sea, mermaids, monsters and eerie individuals with special powers, like this young lady http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkWgQqBpxBM She took what she wanted from some sailors who had decided they would kidnap a helpless girl. Little did they know that she had been lying in wait for them and luring them into her clutches. The myth was one that the simple Celts used to explain why bad things happen.

The unknown can cause fears, especially the unpredictable ways of nature. The typhoon in the Philippines is a good example of that frightening and unpredictable behavior. There are no good explanations of why natural disasters happen. We can only cope as they appear.

But nature has another side. Today, where the Pacific ocean meets the Sonoma Coast, it  was as peaceful and calm as a pond. The gentle rhythmic slap of the waves on the shore was as soothing as a lullaby. I felt like I was drenched in liquid amber sunshine. The warm breezes stirred the most wonderful feeling of well-being in my soul. Every one of my senses was teased with nuggets of pleasure.The smells, sights and sounds drove any unease from me and left me feeling at ease with the world and my fellow man. It worked a kind of special magic on me.

Take some time to build your personal fantasy, a life-affirming one. Seek out soothing scenes in nature and take it in, consciously storing the sensations for later. When the hard times come, you can fall back on your fantasy world to stoke your courage. You'll have the knowledge, deep in your being, that better times are coming. If you can hold on, change is only a matter of time.