I understand why people get behind, feel so passionately about, the environment.

I spent this past weekend at the beach.  I took a walk Sunday morning.  I was hoping to beat the Halloween candy to my ass, so I was walking fast and sweating to Rihanna.  I reached the breakwater and decided to return along the beach.

iPod still on, I cut over and started toward the waves.  Nothing works a hiney like walking in sand.  I reached the surf and continued my trek back and the weirdest thing happened.  I gradually slowed down, the music became annoying so I put the iPod away.

I walked listening to the waves crash onto the sand.  I breathed deeper and before I knew it I was no longer moving and I stood facing the ocean.  I must have been there for twenty minutes, sea air sweeping my face and I felt…alive, connected and free from all the crap that was in my head and on my back when I left the house.

I stood there and realized that so many people have stood in my exact spot looking out to the same magnificent ocean. Generations of people vacationing, escaping, thinking, dreaming…people before me, before my grandparents, before their parents.  This ocean has been doing it’s thing forever and will continue touching people long after I’m gone.  She’s a constant.

I felt small and I realized that the ocean, the mountains, the canyons…they outlive all the other things we seem to value, they outlive us and our all important lives.

People have a tendency, I have a tendency, to think our lives are extremely important.  In the day to day, we are the focus and the human life is a really fun time, but the big picture, “the grand scheme of things”, we’re really not that big of a deal.

I took one last deep breath and turned my back on the ocean.  I will try to remember.  It’s important that I remember.

My thoughts from the laundry room.  Sand Man Snooze.

balance crazy life life ocean thoughts Earth life Ocean thoughts