Don’t you sometimes wish that you could just get away from the busyness of every day life- even for a few moments?
I’m actually someone who enjoys being busy, most of the time. Having a steady stream of work and thinking of ideas to create or planning things, energizes me. I find that when my mind is working, whether it’s in an intellectual or creative sense, the various parts of my work build on top of each other, and I’m able to produce better products. All this, because even when I take a ‘break’ from one project to work on another, I’ll often get inspired or motivated to continue work on whatever previous project I’ve gotten stuck on.
However, as much as I enjoy having something on my plate, escaping your own brain is absolutely necessary at times in order to be able to continue on. But how do you escape your brain, with its constant whirring of thoughts and worries? That answer is as varied as people are. And that answer can vary by the day for even just one person, like me. Mostly though, it centers around taking the focus off of yourself and your tiny world. Take yourself out of the middle of your universe, and life becomes simpler.
On a larger scale, I believe that centering your life around God, who is bigger than anything that is currently going on in your life, is essential. His plans are greater than just us, and realizing that someone who created everything and is better at everything than we are, as well as someone who loves us on such a scale that He died for us to be a part of the story He is weaving, gives us the ability to let go. When we accept this, we’re able to let go of some of the worry that accompanies all that we attempt to do in this life, and we’re able to enjoy the greater story that our life gets to be weaved into.
On a smaller scale, I like to find places to escape to when my mind just won’t quiet down. There are places that I physically go, and there are places I mentally disappear into, like a good book! Usually, the places I escape to contain elements of beauty that force my mind to take note, thereby quieting the whirring.
Today I’m sharing one of the places that I escape to on a regular basis. It’s nothing fancy- just two little beaches in my town where I stop while out running. They are so close together that they are essentially one beach, separated by a few lovely beach homes, and are the perfect place to watch a sunset or the stars if I’m out on a night run. Watching boats pass by, listening to the waves lapping against the shore, hearing crickets in the grass, and of course, cuddling the dogs that come by with their owners- this place allows me simple pleasures that quiet my mind and refresh my spirit.
Find the space that allows you to escape and disconnect from the hustle and bustle of every day. I’ll share more of my favorite escapes in the future- and I’d love to hear about your special places as well!
Oh Hiraeth 