Footsteps in the sand

I love the beach...I should probably say, I love the ocean, I suppose considering my dislike of sand; It just gets everywhere and I tend to find it hours, sometimes days, later in the most annoying of places. But the ocean and beaches typically come with sand and so I have accept it as part of the whole picture - It's really a small price to pay for the feeling of freedom, peace and serenity I find when walking on the beach; I say walking because getting into the water isn't really my thing. Sharks you know, also not my thing.

I'm fortunate to live in Australia, a beautiful country surrounded by some of the worlds most beautiful beaches, many I've seen, walked on and some in which I've even risked becoming a shark-biscuit by taking a swim. They are all different and yet all seem to provide that same feeling; That comfort and solace I find away from other people, societies' noise and complications - I wish I could escape completely, forever, but the beach helps and I'm often to be found wandering along seemingly aimless.

I endeavor to find beaches on which I'll not see anyone else; I find more value in my own company, or that of selected people, and with nature. It's all about the call of sea birds, ocean playing in counterpoint as it meets the shore in a rush of white foam...That sound, a wave coming ashore, is one of the most pure in nature - A sound that soothes and calms my mind and helps me to 'quiet a mind' that rarely turns off.

I find it elsewhere too, sounds that have the same effect: The breeze whistling through tree tops in a forest, water making its way downstream in a far away wilderness, even sometimes through my headset as I listen to an emotive piece of music. But the beach...It's so cool and I mind myself drawn to it for that feeling of peace.

I leave a mark on the beach, just as it leaves its own upon me and my overall wellbeing; My footsteps stretch away behind me as I move forward and, just like life itself, they become history; A part of me but gone forever. It's almost like leaving part of me behind and, in reality, when I find that centre-point inside myself I really am. It's a reset.

I make a lot of decisions when wandering on the beach; I'm better at it in those moments. Sure, I make many at my job and in every day life also, but I mean life decisions - Ones that determine where I go from that moment in time, the direction, physically and emotionally. It's always forward of course, we cannot rewind time and even if we could would we be the same person in the now-moment if we hadn't experienced our past-moments? I'm not sure exactly so maybe yes and maybe no is the answer.

Forward is the way our lives move and we make decisions the best we can with the information, intellect and emotion we have to hand at the moment in which it's made. Sometimes they are good and other times not but I believe, for me at least, the important thing is that the decision is reached and action taken.

I've left many footsteps in the sand and made a lot of decisions in my life; Some have turned out extremely well, some monumentally bad and others have been rather neutral. I'm a decision-maker and action-taker though - It's always been a part of me. Along with that comes the risk of the decisions being terrible but they're mine and I own them, in the moment and the future.

I've made some fairly momentous decisions recently that will have far-reaching implications for me, right or wrong, good or bad, they're made and I'll own them. Sure, I hope they're right, but if not I'll have no choice but to deal with them, take ownership and deal with the consequence that may come from them. But yeah, I hope they're good.

I know what my future holds; I'll walk beaches I've not seen nor walked upon before. There'll be new dawns and dusks, waves and sand...And I'll leave footprints behind and think about the future. Like always.

Track: Because I know you like it: Malibu