And yet I live in a landlocked part of the world, with the nearest salty air and churning waves thousands of miles away.
On and off over the last 15 years, my family and I have vacationed in South Carolina. While our budget does not allow us to rent a villa oceanfront, we are always but a few minutes’ walk away. Every morning, before the blazing sun and steamy air takes over the day, while my family is slumbering away, I put on my running gear, lace up my shoes and jog over to the beach.
The beach is conserved and protected by towering sand dunes, grasses that protect turtles and other wildlife and there are wooden walkways scattered throughout to allow access. From the entrance to the beach access, you cannot see the ocean, nor can you barely hear it. Up the stairs and over the hill and all of a sudden it is a different world. Gone are the lush gardens and towering bamboo, replaced with a vista that takes my breath away.
The beaches are wide and flat, regardless of tide. The ocean waves crash. Birds swoop and shriek. The wind blows lightly and salty air fills my lungs.
I stop at the top of the walkway before ascending down to the beach, I spread my arms and breathe deeply. I let the briny air wash over me and expand within me as a calm euphoria takes over. I feel the ocean in every cell of my body.
I start running and feel invincible. Whatever is going on in my life at that moment is but a grain of sand on the expanse of the beach. I think of the sea life churning just beyond me… of lives that exist at ocean’s end… and suddenly anything is possible.
In my professional life, I work with leaders who are looking for ‘balance’. I often ask my clients how they recharge, how they truly get away from it all and where do they do their best thinking. We all have our places to do our best thinking, where we breathe differently and solutions become clear. Where is your place?
