National Beach Day - This Should Actually Be A Holiday!
I'm a surfer. One of those lucky people who spend at least 3 days a week at the beach. I'm a great believer that everyone who can, should spend as much time as they can at the beach.
There's magic in the sand, in the water, in the sounds found at the beach and in the breeze that gently caresses your face and hair as you walk at the water's edge.
Like anything else in life, if you're exposed to it often, it is easy to become desensitized to the wonders of a thing. So, comes the question. When's the last time you actually gave yourself the opportunity to sit in the sand and just be quiet.
There's a magic to the quiet in relation to the beach. Taking quiet moments to absorb and appreciate the beauty that the beach offers us is truly transforming. Sitting in the sand, with you feet at water's edge is a natural sedative and even on a rough day, this setting can often sooth the tension that you experienced earlier in the day.
I've found that just approaching the beach after a difficult day is emotionally reconstructive. Descend the stairs and feel how the approach to the sand begins to erase the stress that's found a home in your system.
Take a seat at water's edge, remove your shoes, let your feet touch the water, and feel your shoulders relax. Be aware of the sound the water is making and how the breeze feels on your face.
There's magic at the beach. So many places to explore and nooks and crannies to discover. A friend of mine came to the beach one summer afternoon. At first the feel of the sand was a bit put offing for her. She initially felt like she had to keep the sand off her clothes. She was afraid that the sand would soil what she was wearing.
I talked her into getting down on her hands and knees so she could look into a small cave next to the water. As soon as she saw the turtles she forgot all about staying clean and dry. She was soon fine with being wet and sandy. At that moment all else in the world was insignificant. The beach is transformative in that way.
If you take just a little time to get your feet sandy, you might find interesting patterns in the sand that let you know you're not the only critter exploring out there. It's fun to make a game of following the various tracks that can be found. Just exploring is so relaxing.
It seems that around every corner there's something new to discover. A small cove, an outcropping of rock filled with sea anemonies, small crabs, and starfish.
Even the structures at the beach are fascinating and marvelous places to explore. Leaving your foot prints in the sand is affirmation that you do exist and for many people very calming.
One afternoon I came out of the water after surfing and watched a group of young people walk along the wet sand for more than an hour just to see who could leave the best foot prints. Imagine hours of entertainment that didn't cost a penny.
National Beach Beach Day. August 30th, was Created in 2014 by lifestyle expert Colleen Paige, the day aims to combine celebrating the beauty of local shores with raising awareness about keeping beaches clean and safe.
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