Life has loveliness to sell, all beautiful and splendid things, blue waves whitened on a cliff, soaring fire that sways and sings, and children’s faces looking up, holding wonder like a cup

Back from the beach and feeling simultaneously refreshed and exhausted.  Why does vacation always do that?

I never consider myself much of an outdoorswoman, but I have to say that nothing sets my mood right like some quality outside-time (especially after all the hours in the library of late!).  Reading on the sand, diving into the waves, sleeping out on the balcony, searching for seashells, letting the sun shine on my shoulders and finding freckles on my face the next morning.  I miss it already!

Find something new today
to love and enjoy
like the rest of those familiar loves
that have topped your list for years.
It doesn’t have to come close
and likely it won’t
but it might
and if it did
boy, that’d sure make this a day to remember-
the day you set about
turning over rocks
and shaking the neighborhood trees
only to discover
exactly what it was
you didn’t even know you were looking for.

-Dallas Clayton

The blues have been a more consistent companion of mine lately, but it seems one key to turning my mood around is spending that extra bit of time appreciating the details.  The small things that I usually breeze by during the day-to-day routine.  Noticing the arch of a flower's stem or focusing on the tingle that rushes over my skin when it hits the cold water.  Watching the sunset and counting the stars.  Making space for these moments makes me feel both grounded and connected to something much much larger than me.  To sum it up in a word, alive!  Combine that with a constant search for new experiences and I become a much happier lady.  No more feeling like I'm just skimming the surface of my life, letting the days slip away unaccounted for.

In that spirit, I've tried out a few new things in addition to all that glorious beach bumming.  Nothing monumental, but just enough to shake things up and keep me on my toes:
-My first henna tattoo (it's a mandala on my foot. No interest in a real tattoo, so a three-week long marking is perfect)
-I ate dinner alone in a restaurant for the first time tonight.  It was actually a rather peaceful experience.  Especially with a Michael Ondaatje (love!) book as a side to my grilled fish and baked potato. yum.
-I gave up instant messaging/gchat for Lent.  I'm not sure if this is 100% new because I can't remember if I ever successfully gave anything up in grade school.  I certainly haven't tried since then.  So I'm counting it as my first real Lenten sacrifice.  Rather jazzed about it actually.

Now to start doing more of the new things on my 22 by 22 list!