Sun, Sand, Sea.... and Stars

Sun, sand and sea… that is what the start of my new year looks like. It’s a blessing really; the opportunity to wind down to the point that I have no idea what day it is or what it is I need to be doing. This slow pace is not something I am used to, however, I will take it while it lasts, because I know that once the year really gets started, I will be lucky to catch my breath before the end.

I was fortunate to see the new year in with family and close friends; connections which are of the greatest importance and sustenance. There is something magical about New Year’s Eve, isn’t there? I don’t know what it is but this year I really felt it. After dinner, my dear friends and I took our dogs for a walk to the beach; three dogs between us. The temperature was perfect, the water calm and still, the night sky clear and illuminated, the stars shining in all their glory.

All of us looked up in absolute awe, taking in the breathtaking view; a reminder that beauty is really found in the simplest of things and taking the time to appreciate the beauty of nature is so important. I just love the kind of people who get as excited about the stars at night as I do.

Midnight came and it was time to start anew. The people who surround you at this time, or those who are far and think of you and make contact, are the people who you take with you on the next leg of your journey. These are the people who have chosen to spend this important time of the year with you; people who could have easily chosen to be elsewhere.

It really was special, and I am grateful.

So, here I am, just a few days into this new year, writing with no real plan. I am just going with the flow; fingers on keyboard, where they will take me, nobody knows. Perhaps I will take the main themes that come up and see there they lead me. Whether this blog will be coherent at all remains to be seen.

Let’s go with the word ‘breath’. What is it that has the ability to take your breath away? For me it is words, written (or spoken) with true meaning; words that can be felt not just read/heard, words that can leap from the page and into your heart, creating unforgettable feelings. This is one of the reasons I choose to write. I hope that my writing makes the reader feel something. If this is the case, my mission will have been very much accomplished.

Often, people believe they can’t write, or are not good at it, because they feel they are unable to be descriptive or use big, intelligent sounding words. But the truth is that writing is about connection; creating content that resonates with the reader, and most times, this comes from writing from deep within, drawing on one’s own feelings and emotions. There is no right or wrong when it comes to writing; it is purely subjective, that is the wonderful thing about it.

Next word is ‘connection’. To me, this is what the whole meaning of life revolves around. Without connections, how would we learn, grow, evolve and experience? Connections come in all shapes and sizes. Some are just brief encounters, some are experienced for the length of time it takes to serve its purpose, and others, well, others are so deep and long lasting that they are virtually impossible to break. I have written about ‘Quantum Entanglement’ before in a previous blog, and I think it is a wonderful way of explaining why some connections are so inexplicable, and have the ability to transcend time, distance and any other obstacle that enters its path. These connections are just meant to be. These are the connections which are designed by the Universe to bring out the very best in us.

The Universe; what an incredible, vast, all encompassing, inexplicable notion that is. It has the capacity to be magical and frustrating at the same time. Often, you want to control it, to steer it in the direction you want to go in. Truth is, however, that when it comes to the Universe, no one of us is the driver; we are all just passengers. The choice we make is to accept what or who comes along with us for the ride. In my case, negativity and toxicity are not invited. Fear does not get a seat either, nor does judgement or anxiety. Sure, they may have to come along to some extent but they can sit in the boot, and every time they come out, I will close them in again.

I choose who gets a seat , and on this ride I choose to take positivity, confidence, authenticity, kindness and compassion, some fun, some spunk, and above all, a smile and aura that has the power to inspire others in the most positive of ways.

The Universe: it will take us wherever it thinks things are best for us in order to fulfil our purpose and enable us to reach our highest potential. Along the journey there will be markers and signposts, designed to help us make choices, because let’s face it, we all have a choice; we can choose to hop out of the car and go our own way if that is what we desire.

To have complete trust and faith in the Universe takes courage; to look at those signposts and make the choice as to whether to continue along the established path or to veer towards something else is a difficult thing to contemplate… but when you learn to be steered by your gut (because in the end, we are all one with the Universe) and silence your mind, life becomes an exciting series of chapters, making up one hell of a story.

And that, my friends, is a wrap for today. Over 1000 words later, a few themes explored; mission accomplished for today. The sun, the sand, and the sea wait for me outdoors on this scorching day.

The stars… well, they will just have to wait until tonight… until I get to appreciate their full splendour.