Being Aware and Grateful

It was a beautiful day today and I took myself down to the beach. It was lovely and my best mate loved it. He gets great pleasure out of chasing the waves and the seagulls and just running with the wind in his hair, on the beach.


Is that a seagull over there?

I don't get to the beach very often and I wonder why I don't make more effort when I do get there. I strolled along the beach keeping an eye on the little guy, like a child, in case he went in too far and got caught in the undertow. To listen to the rhythmic sound of the waves is very calming. As I walked I wondered how many generations after me will see what I see. I am probably, on the surface, seeing much the same as previous generations of white people. There is probably a lot missing under the waves but that is another story for another day.

As I drove down there I became very conscious that we, the people alive today, may be the only ones who have the opportunity to see so much of this world. We have had the privilege of not only the finite resources of oil to fuel our cars and planes, but the knowledge of how to use these machines. I personally have done almost no overseas travel but I know lots of people who have done huge amounts and some still do!
It has been a very resourceful century and a half or so hasn't it? The result of all this may end up being that the glorious coastline that I looked at today may be gone in the future.
All of these thoughts really just made me so aware and so very grateful that I can see this beautiful environment. I believe that we must all go through our days much more aware than perhaps we have in the past. If the majority of scientists  are wrong and the climate change is not man made, it doesn't matter what the cause if the beach is many metres inland.
There are many houses on the coast and many people will be affected.
The real gain though is that we will benefit in our hearts and minds if we live our lives consciously and with gratitude. We will feel better and we will be happier. Everything around us has a message if we bother to look for it. My message for today was that the sea will keep on rolling in, the same or further, no matter what is happening in my life so I might as well just roll along with it and don't sweat the small stuff but be grateful for the small blessings in your day.


A beautiful view.

Close your eyes and imagine the sound of the waves rolling in. Clear your mind and give yourself ten minutes of 'me' time to meditate and feel right with the world.   Better still take the time this weekend to drive down to the coast if you can and listen to it for real. It is still 'me' time and good for all the family to do. Please be mindful though and really stop and appreciate what it is that you are seeing, smelling, hearing and feeling. Enjoy!