The Ocean is Calling

Healing and Finding Purpose This Illinois, born and raised, girl never knew she had a connection to the ocean. It’s a beautiful thing to find in yourself so late in life. It was surprising, and breathtaking when it happened. Many years ago my family moved to Florida for a job. I never thought I would leave Illinois, EVER! All of my family and my husband’s family live there. That was our support system. We enjoyed Florida a lot while only there for 4 years but I was a mom of two young boys and going to the beach was more of a chore than anything. Keeping an eye on them, making sure they didn’t go in too deep, and then getting sand off of them (which, of course was on every square inch of their bodies when we were done!) before getting into the car. But, fast forward 11 years and I decided to try my hand at surfing, for the first time ever, and as an amputee. My prosthetist, Randy West, helped me make my dream come true and made me a surf leg the week before our trip to Kauai. I arranged surf lessons and have to say I was a bit nervous at first… I don’t like to fail and I had no idea how this would go seeing as my surf instructor had never given lessons to an amputee before. Needless to say, I found my joy in surfing from the moment I got on the water. The ocean was soothing and yet so powerful. The Hawaiians call this power, Mana, and I understood why. While a wave looks so peaceful and ignorer as it moves its way across the ocean to the beach what was going on under the wave was strong, chaotic, and so powerful. It seemed to me a metaphor for how my life felt now as an amputee. To me, though, even being on the beach and close to the waves, I can still feel her power and her beauty as I watch and listen. I find myself breathing to the waves as they come in and crash on the beach. I watch the sun shine through the water and watch the ultimate chaos of sand being churned up and plant life whipping around as the wave pushes forward. This is my happy place. I find my peace here and long for that feeling often, always excited to go back to the ocean whenever a chance arises. You may not live near a beach or have the means to get there right now but you can recreate this feeling by finding video footage of the ocean and/or the sounds of crashing waves that you can listen to, right now, in your own home. No, it’s not exactly the same but it can do the trick, if you are in need of finding some calm and center in your life. The ocean has given me a place to finding healing because it calms me, declutters my head, and asks me to breathe with it. These actions place me in a better place, mood, and mental space. You guessed it! This week I want you to find your peace at the ocean. This may be a literal ocean, if you live near one, or find video and audio of the ocean that you can immerse yourself into in your own home. Don’t cheat yourself. don’t find a video and then work on laundry or do the dishes. You must find the time and space to stop everything you are doing to center yourself and focus on the present. Find rhythm in your breath with the ocean. Close your eyes and listen to ALL of the sounds. Relax your body and your mind and just breathe. If you can just find time everyday this week to give yourself this gift of quieting your life, stopping the momentum, even for just 5 minutes, you will find yourself in a better mood, and in a happy space. You might even find healing of what you are struggling with right now. Surrender to the ocean, Warriors. You and your body deserve that much. Have a beautifully blessed week, And until next time, Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be YOU!! Much love,