Walking4Air

It’s funny how, after hours of searching and analysing things, you finally make a decision. A decision that will affect your future and one that is hard to make. Peaceful in the knowledge that the right decision has been made, the universe then throws something your way that changes everything again. Of course. It’s never that easy! Maybe the decision I’d made wasn’t quite right – at least not yet. With a quick about turn, I adjusted my proverbial sails and trust that universe knows what it is doing and that this is the path I really should be taking right now. Especially considering that since making the decision two things have been thrown my way have shown me this is where the universe wants to lead me.

Finally, things are falling into place and I’m trusting it’s exactly as it should be and with each decision I have made, it’s perfect even if I’ve had to adjust slightly. This year has been fraught with so many decisions that needed to be made now yet they will affect my near future, all this stuffed in-between working full-time, working so very hard behind the scenes on my upcoming trip to Argentina, physically training for my mountain climb, and studying and writing exams – it’s been a tough second half of this year and I’m feeling exhausted.

As most of you all know, I love the mountain – been out in nature really soothes my soul and if not the mountain then you can often find me at the sea. I am blessed to have both in the beautiful city I live in.

Earlier this week, after a busy day at work and a successful meeting right at the end of it, I was finally making my way home just after 7pm. As I headed towards the sea, the sun was low in the sky and a few dark clouds scattered the sky. Although I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was go home, the pull to go to the ocean was strong and as if on automatic pilot, my car continued to head straight instead of turning right to take me home. Arriving at the beach, I slipped my sandals off and headed down onto the sand. A perfect evening, the air was warm and the sea was flat with only the gentle crashing of the waves at they rolled into shore. The sun, like a beautiful orange disco ball getting ready to set over the Mother City, shining on the hopeful and discouraged alike.   A few people scattered the beach, all there to enjoy the perfection of the beautiful summer’s evening.

I found a secluded spot on the sand and sat down breathing in the beautiful ocean air. Behind me in the (regenerated) sand dunes, the sprinklers that sweep water around 180 degrees ticked away and then stuttered back along the same path. It is a sound that always makes me smile. It is the sound of summer. In front of me the gentle sound of the ocean, waves gently crashing to shore, the sea smooth like icing spread smoothly on a cake top.

As the sun continued to slip away, like an orange disco ball hanging from a grey’ish sky, shadows began to sweep in, and like an invisible paintbrush, the canvas of the sky changed from peach to tangerine to flushed shades of pink and finally scarlet.

I sat there on the cool sand that evening, feeling the sand between my toes, a culmination of every puzzle piece falling into place perfectly, feeling such gratitude for the support from unlikely people and feeling such a huge deep sense of appreciation for everything that is my life. As I watched the sky change to shades of pink, I knew my best friend Emma was with me. Pink sky night, Shepard’s delight… Yes. I breathed in peace, breathing out gratitude.

Eventually, the sun surrendering to dusk, colours began to fade leaving a dark brooding sky overhead. I was finally ready to go home.  Someone once said even madness will stop following you, if you splash it with the music of the sunset.

Our tomorrows are determined by the steps we take each day. Every sunset gives us one day less to live but every sunrise gives us one day more to hope. We need to savour every step and live it well.

Such gratitude for silver lined dark clouds of colour softening the sharp edges of the day and more so, the year.

~ All photos unedited, no filter used, and taken with my iPhone in the moment ~

~ All photos by me ~

~ Just 31 Days, 19 Hours, 37 minutes and 12 Seconds until my plane leaves for Aconcagua, Argentina ~