Peace

I like being peaceful.  I like sitting by and letting a breeze wash over my face.  I like listening to birds in the trees, and frogs in the pond.  I never mind waiting in the car for my kids because it gives me a moment to chill.  A beautiful “side effect” of this vacation has been the opportunity to enjoy some peace.

Yesterday, we woke up to a howling storm.  Sheets of rain were falling, the sky was dark and the wind was high.  John was terribly disappointed, realizing that scuba wasn’t going to be a possibility.  The despair he felt in being cooped up in the resort all day was obvious.

Then, this morning, we woke up to the same conditions.  We called the dive shop, and they said they were still going out which made John happy.  However, 30 minutes later they called back to say that fog was rolling in and it wouldn’t be safe.  John called the vacation a wash.  He felt guilty that he had planned such a disappointing vacation.

Disappointing to him.  For me, inside or out, under the water or above, I’ve been so thankful to be here, with him.  I have enjoyed not getting up at 6 a.m. to pack lunches, do hair and see kids off to school.  I’ve enjoyed having the undivided attention of my husband—no phone calls from work, or for church business which constantly interrupt our few precious moments together.  As much as I love our animals, I’m grateful to get a break from the constant attention they demand.  No letting dogs out, letting dogs in, letting cats out, watching the cats climb our screens because they want to be let in, no throwing balls, no fetching balls when the dogs don’t.  No responsibilities from my five church callings.

Later this morning, after the storm had cleared, John and I headed out to the beach.  One of the things my family finds the funniest about me is that I am completely buoyant.  I always have been, thick or thin, and I feel a bit like a freak of nature.  I can lay in any body of water and without any effort on my part, float.  No waving of my arms, or legs.  No holding my breath.  I just float.  This is a tricky thing when I’m scuba diving because I generally need to sink.  Of course, I remind myself that this is why weight belts were invented, but what does it say when I need more weight than John to sink 50 feet?

Anyway, laying in the ocean, floating on my back, with my legs under John to help him float easier, I thanked Heavenly Father for these few precious days.  Days to let my mind regroup.  Days to relax.  Days to find peace.