Peace of Mind

She sits on the sand feeling it slide between her toes. The waves hit the shore with a thunderous force each time silencing all other noise around. She stares out at the last little line across the horizon as the sun falls into the dark ocean below. The heavens glow pink and orange across the sky. A seagull screams out into the night. Crash. The waves hit again. A slight breeze ruffles her hair. She closes her eyes and breathes in the salt air. Crash. Peace. Peace of mind. Her thoughts slowly slip out of her head and she embraces the quiet. Please quiet my mind. Just for a moment. A moment to breathe. A moment to smile. A moment. Crash. A child laughs in the distance. She opens her eyes again. The sky is now a purplish rose. Crash. She could sit there for hours. For days. For years. Forever.

This is my peace. This is the only thing that can quiet my mind. Quiet my heart. Quiet my soul. I love the ocean. I love its power. I love that it soothes the soul. We have a time share in San Clemente with a balcony that overlooks the San Clemente Pier and the ocean. The last time I went down there, mom was there for a week and I joined her for a couple of days, My first day there I sat out on the balcony all day and into the night. Mom would sit with me for a while then go inside. She'd pop her head out every now and again - "Want to do something? " "No" I'd say. "I just want to sit out here". Thats the first time in my life I spent so long just sitting and staring out into the sea. We broke for dinner. But when we came back, I found myself out there again, late into the night. My silence disrupted only when the train would come thru. I always like to sleep out in the fold out bed in the living room area so I can go to sleep to the sounds of the ocean. The next day I was wound up and mom and I did more walking around, playing, etc. But that one day - I needed it so bad. Just to sit. Just to silence the goings on of life for one day. Now I try to get to the beach sometimes alone to just sit and decompress for awhile when life gets a bit overwhelming. I love the ocean. I feel one with the ocean. I need it. Its getting around that time I'll be heading there again just to sit. Just to quiet.