I was planning to write a post on the mind-body connection before I went on holiday but life got in the way and before I knew it, I was off to sunny Cornwall for a week. And what a week it was. The weather was unusually warm, well warm enough to wear a shorty wetsuit and take the plunge with my bright pink boogie board. I’ve always fancied the idea of surfing on a long board but my ability to balance on a thin piece of moving foam is limited. If I wanted to spend most of my holiday upside down in the sea, towing said foam board then that’s the sport for me.
I much prefer the more easily managed boogie board. Very little balance is involved and yet you can still experience a rush of excitement when you catch a wave perfectly, rushing headlong to the shoreline, giggling hysterically all the way. In my opinion, there’s nothing better for reenergising the soul. I get so absorbed in watching the waves, waiting for the perfect one, that I can be in the sea for hours, before a family member will have to drag me out for a break.
This year was no exception. Sporting a brand new shorty wetsuit, my trusty board attached to my wrist, I sped off to the waters edge, splashing in like a kid. The benefit of going on holiday when school is still in session is that I had the beach and the swimming section mostly to myself. Just as well my audience was small. I let out quite a squeak as my legs registered the near-freezing water. 15 degrees never felt so cold. Undeterred, I pushed on through the shallows and into the waves. Watching the waves form and rush towards me, I braced myself, picked the moment and went for it. This time my voice was a mixture of shear joy and shock. What a wave! I was propelled all the way to the shallows.
It’s moments like these that live on in my memory, long after I’ve returned back to normal life and found myself stuck for a topic to write about. When work becomes irritating and I long for the sound of the seas, all I have to do is close my eyes, bring one of those moments to mind, and smile.
Who cares if I smirk to myself as I sit at my work station? Not me. It irritates my work colleagues, who are never quite sure what I am plotting next.
Hooray! I have found something to write about after a three week absence.
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