If I Cannot Go to the Sea, Let the Sea Come to Me

I spend most of my year dreaming about that soft week of sand and sunshine I get each year called vacation, and right about now the beach is where I would be, sitting in the sand and shade, probably napping or reading a book and not thinking about all the stressful things that daily life contains. But, then again, this hasn't exactly been a typical year. It seems like the insanity started suddenly. Then we were holding and maybe even declining in crazy and then it sprouted in other places and began all over again. So much upheaval; the world has been in a difficult state. Part of me wants to carry on as usual and not let all this crazy infect my life. And part of me wants to shut the world out and just hide away here in the quiet woods. My resolve to do either varies from day to day based on how much time I spend in front of the "news." (Is it new if they're just parroting the exact same things over and over on every single station?)

So, if it turns out that we can't make it to the ocean for our vacation this year or if I just can't be bothered to wade through the mess out there, then, to quote Anne Shirley, "It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will." And I have firmly made up my mind to find things to still enjoy whether on the beach or in the office, or just in my own little house.

Before the quarantine and subsequent insanity where people forgot how to act like civilized human beings instead of rabid wild animals, like everyone else in the world, I was going about my life and planning future things. One of my plans was a trip to the seaside for some much needed sunshine and family time. Since those plans are indefinitely on hold for reasons beyond my control, if I cannot go to the sea, let the sea come to me.

I believe a home is a sanctuary, a retreat, a place to lay your armor down at the end of each day. Coming home from a stressful day and staring at screens full of gloom and doom and screaming at family and strangers on social media until you into fall into fitful sleep hours later than you should be in bed will shorten your life, did you know that? Did you know that constant exposure to such stressors weakens your immune system and opens you up to a host of illnesses? So why live that way when you don't have to. Make some firm boundaries about leaving work at work and observe times when there are no screens allowed, especially an hour or two before bed. Those are things you can control and which will greatly benefit your life and health.

In preparation for my stay-cation I've transformed my home into a pseudo beach get away complete with all the ingredients to make my favorite meals (homemade pizza, mushroom ravioli, sourdough toast with a fried egg, caramel cookies with Earl Grey, the works!) cool fruity umbrella decked drinks, lounge chairs, sunshades, and a sounds of the sea soundtrack playing while I take an afternoon nap in the sunshine. Also, in the spirit relaxation, we spontaneously packed a picnic lunch, walked down to the creek just the other day. We splashed in the cold water a while, then ate our lunch on the rocks while we dried off, and yes, I did fall asleep in the shade for a half hour or so while my children chased the bull dog up and down the creek. It was her first time in the water and she loved it! This is what life is about.

Is it silly? Maybe. Is it childish? I certainly hope so; if I lost my childish nature the world would just be too boring to bear even when we weren't confined to our homes. Is it a fun way to stay sane in the face of insanity and continue to enjoy life no matter what difficulties come? Absolutely.

And instead of spending too much time questioning and obsessing, I'd rather just take this one week to relax and enjoy. In fact, like Anne, I've firmly made up my mind to do just that. Let's face it, all this crazy isn't going anywhere. So, it can carry on for a week without me and when I come back, I have zero doubt that it will be right there waiting on me.

To that end my "ocean" stay-cation favorites are cotton dresses, espadrilles, straw bags and good books are an absolute necessity. I just finished a book called When Marnie Was There by Joan Robinson. It has been on my youngest daughter's list of must-read/must watch (Ghibli studios made an animated film adaptation). I read it so that my daughter and I could discuss it, which has also become an annual beach tradition. Two years ago I read Doll Bones by Holly Black to discuss with my oldest daughter and we enjoyed it to much that we decided to do it every year.

That's what down-time is all about anyway, right? It's about letting go of the things you cannot control for a while, putting the worries away and focusing on rest and quality time with the people who matter most. Spend your mornings in quiet prayer and meditation. Have a nice wholesome meal that you took time to prepare, at least once or twice a day. Take a long aimless walk everyday. Turn off the world and be present for the people you love. This is how you restore your spirit, soul, and body. You don't have to be far away to do it, although it does help to physically leave everything behind and only take what you need to a beach or cabin in the woods for a while.

I feel that I should point out that the lovely house in these photos is not my own, but I wish it was. It is a century old farm house renovated by a talented mother-daughter artist team. They did a stunning job from start to finish. The daughter (who I won't mention by name because I haven't had the chance to ask if it's OK with her) very very kindly agreed to let me come in and use the house for some photos. She has been a dear and important person in my life, kind and supportive at a time when I needed it most and found it least. She may never know how much it's meant to me. But, more than that, I believe she is someone who values imagination and creativity just as much as I do; I think she is a kindred spirit. And the older I get, and the crazier the world seems to get, finding those people is such a rare and precious thing, it's important to honor them and treat them well. Knowing they exist in the world also brings rest to my soul.