Walking along this beautiful low tide.
Smiling, giving thanks.
Looking to the clouds as angels above.
Wide eyed, soaking it all in.
The beach, the waves, the sand, the scene. Taking it all in with a smile. My heart was full.
Going along alone…enjoying myself endlessly. Enjoying the solitude, my time in nature, the breeze, the birds. All of it.
I wandered upon a man standing on the sand. He looked studious with his camera and had something in mind. He was looking at a spot on the sand.
As I approach, I observe..
Suddenly he interjects in a harsh tone.
Hey, don’t you see that??
I stop.
Did I miss something?
I can’t believe you just did that. He scolded.
I was taken aback but managed to get out few words and a smile.
Are you serious? I asked lightly. Thankfully I didn’t respond back with his angry tone.
You walked right there. Don’t you see it? It was untouched before you walked by. Don’t you see the beauty? You don’t even see it!
I responded that I did see it. I said,
It is beautiful and so is this entire beach. Look around! It’s all so beautiful! This whole place!
He eventually softened and admitted I had every right to walk where I wanted. Like he caught himself in something. Then after a pause he said in a somewhat judgmental tone,
Well that is interesting. He said it again.
I just think it’s interesting.
And he walked on. I walked on. We walked on separately but in the same direction.
As I continued on my journey, I was contemplating what had happened. It seemed so out of the blue. So obvious that it was something not to overlook. It was so jolting!
I started to observe in the rear view mirror what had happened. My blissful walk turned into a short lecture on noticing beauty.
Of course my judger mind wanted to know if I did something wrong.
Should I have apologized? Was I not paying attention to where I was walking? Could I have walked around that sacred spot? You saw he was looking at something, why did you keep walking in his path? You could have done better?
The story would have continued but then the curious voice stepped in. That aspect of me that sits in a higher place said something that stopped me in my tracks.
I had been contemplating lately that I really want to step into my shadows and the areas of my life that I may be hiding from. Fear of conflict is one of those areas.
The thought that came next had bubbled up from a higher place. It said:
YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM CONFLICT. IT IS EVERYWHERE.
Well, that was it. It made me laugh to myself. There on the beach, walking and laughing to myself. Must have been a sight.
I got it.
This is a lesson I’m trying to learn. How to be ok in the presence of conflict. How to stand in the face of critique no matter how big or how small and not run or judge or blame myself or others. How to be scolded and not lose balance. Realizing my steps might offend some and learn to be ok with it. Learn to be ok with the uncomfortableness of disagreeing. I ask. Did I do my best? What did I learn about myself?
Then accept, be curious and let it go. So it is so.
Lessons can come from the strangest of places. I happen to learn a lot from my beach.
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