Seize the Day

Welcome to the week.  We start on Sunday here.  I felt a little off this past weekend: I had a cold, my head was full of snot, my body and mind tired.  I was feeling homesick and sorry for myself.  Poor me (more like poor Stan).  But I had a good night’s sleep (they have been rare lately) and felt pretty refreshed when I woke this morning. 

While Stan showered, I made my way slowly to the kitchen, savoring the silence.  I opened the window to have a peek at the sea.  Sweet!  The water was smooth as glass.  Most days as soon as I get the apartment to myself I do my meditation practice.  If it doesn’t happen first thing, it usually doesn’t happen.  But today I knew I had to take my practice to the beach.  How can someone live within striking distance of the ocean and feel self-pity?!

I gobbled half a mango, grabbed my things, threw on a floppy hat and bravely crossed the road to the beach side.  I then wound my way in front of the Royal Meridien and Habtour Grand resorts and in less than 10 minutes I was barefoot in the smooth sand.  I’m telling you, the water was crystal clear with nary a ripple.  It looked like an aquamarine mirror.  I couldn’t wait to slide into the cool silky water.  Wait a second.  Cool water?  Drat.  I forgot about that part.  Nope, didn’t even allow myself to think about it.  Instead I summoned my inner Julia, donned my goggles and waded right on in.  If there ever was a prescription to pull me out of my funk, this was it.

As it was still relatively early (for Dubai anyway) I pretty much had the place to myself.  I swam and swam and swam.  There truly is something so purifying, so cleansing, about gliding through the salty water.  I swam as far as my body was willing to take me and got out to walk back to where I started.  I took a few steps, looked back at the water and had to jump right back in.  I could have floated there with the fishes all morning long.  But I was so happy, so content, that I paddled back to my things and walked home, stopping to gaze at the Meridien’s hollyhock garden along the way.

The best meditation practice I’ve had in a long time.