Both T. OCEAN and I woke at the same time this morning, well before C. LEV. So after shaking off the sleep, I sat down on the small cushion I use to meditate and placed another next to me encouraging T. OCEAN to take a seat to my right. He did. And continued to listen and understand when I prompted him to fold his legs over - just like we do in yoga - then rest his hands upon his knees. He did. He lost me on the breathing part, but followed me in his own 3 year-old mind when I said, "now let's say 'thank you for'...and 'thank you to'...the sun, the sky, Grandma and Grandpa, Nonno and Yaya, everything we have, the ocean....and there began his long and joyous list of animals who live in the sea. When I failed to repeat "sting ray", he reiterated it several times, eyes gazing upward at me waiting until I said, "yes, sting ray".
It was a start.
And it was sweet to me to see what it is my son thinks of when we say "thank you". Today, I am grateful for the ability to walk down to the beach TWICE; to spend some of the day with my love; and all of the day with my little boy who will, eventually, grow up and find other wonderful people to celebrate the holiday with - there's no doubt he'll branch out.
On the first visit out around noon, I noticed that the beach had been meticulously cleaned - not a shred of seaweed in sight. The posted 80 degrees was puzzling as it felt remarkably colder by at least 3 degrees - my body now accustomed to sensing water temperature fairly accurately. But by the second visit around 5:00, the water actually seemed warmer! The sun having almost set, however, kept us on shore.
Well, if we don't have our families nearby, at least we have each other -- and the beach.
Your,
Little Mama Sea Keeper
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
REPORT: November 18, 2010 - 4pm
Too much has passed since I last wrote, yet nothing stood still, least of all the ocean. There were days I wanted to write with total excitement about the insane phenomenon we saw...
...thousands, if not millions, of small bate fish washing ashore so that the crest of the waves were nothing but jumping fish, all frantically swimming South. Or the day the waves came on-shore at an amazing 10 - 14 feet high! It looked like Hawaii out there. Surfers were everywhere (and not 1 swimmer). Such AWESOME beauty! I would have loved to go out in it just to feel the strength of the waves against my human size. And then there's the smallest creature who now greets us along the path EVERY day -- a silver and black, shield-shaped spider. We call him (or her) the "Happy Spider", and stop to say "hello" since he is always in the same place -- smack in the middle of his intricate, cross-woven web which is strung in between an open spot amongst the mangrove leaves.
Although there have been days in which there isn't much trash, unfortunately most times the beach is considerably littered with plastic especially along the shoreline. I don't want to focus on it too much because it doesn't seem to help. I pick up what I can (as usual), and go on with the day (and sleep a little better at night). At least the water has been especially clear and clean.
And then there was yesterday...
...around 4 pm, the sun now setting so early in the sky, the water a much cooler temperature (79 degrees) -- T. OCEAN and I play close to the shore break for a short frolic. Out of nowhere and heading South came a group of manta rays - brown on top, white underneath and about 3 to 4 feet long each. Swimming by us the first time was one thing. But they decided to trek back again, retracing their route; then two more returned for one more pass. Perhaps they were feeding. There was certainly plenty of activity (jumping bait fish) and tiny jellyfish around. The ocean was very alive with its animals that did not seem to mind gliding right past a mother and little boy splashing about. Really a great feeling.
I think one of the most magical things about interacting with the ocean daily is what it does for my mind. Between T. OCEAN and the ever-changing world of the sea, I am able to focus on only what is in front of me. In the moment; the here and now as it were. Events such as these leave me feeling very lucky and truly graced to be so close to where nature is unbound and wondrous. I see like a child at these times, and forget my mortality (and the reality of a mother's perpetual to-do list).
Pictures to come....
Until then,
Your,
Little Mama Sea Keeper
...thousands, if not millions, of small bate fish washing ashore so that the crest of the waves were nothing but jumping fish, all frantically swimming South. Or the day the waves came on-shore at an amazing 10 - 14 feet high! It looked like Hawaii out there. Surfers were everywhere (and not 1 swimmer). Such AWESOME beauty! I would have loved to go out in it just to feel the strength of the waves against my human size. And then there's the smallest creature who now greets us along the path EVERY day -- a silver and black, shield-shaped spider. We call him (or her) the "Happy Spider", and stop to say "hello" since he is always in the same place -- smack in the middle of his intricate, cross-woven web which is strung in between an open spot amongst the mangrove leaves.
Although there have been days in which there isn't much trash, unfortunately most times the beach is considerably littered with plastic especially along the shoreline. I don't want to focus on it too much because it doesn't seem to help. I pick up what I can (as usual), and go on with the day (and sleep a little better at night). At least the water has been especially clear and clean.
And then there was yesterday...
...around 4 pm, the sun now setting so early in the sky, the water a much cooler temperature (79 degrees) -- T. OCEAN and I play close to the shore break for a short frolic. Out of nowhere and heading South came a group of manta rays - brown on top, white underneath and about 3 to 4 feet long each. Swimming by us the first time was one thing. But they decided to trek back again, retracing their route; then two more returned for one more pass. Perhaps they were feeding. There was certainly plenty of activity (jumping bait fish) and tiny jellyfish around. The ocean was very alive with its animals that did not seem to mind gliding right past a mother and little boy splashing about. Really a great feeling.
I think one of the most magical things about interacting with the ocean daily is what it does for my mind. Between T. OCEAN and the ever-changing world of the sea, I am able to focus on only what is in front of me. In the moment; the here and now as it were. Events such as these leave me feeling very lucky and truly graced to be so close to where nature is unbound and wondrous. I see like a child at these times, and forget my mortality (and the reality of a mother's perpetual to-do list).
Pictures to come....
Until then,
Your,
Little Mama Sea Keeper
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)