Life is easier to take than you’d think; all that is necessary is to accept the impossible, do without the indispensable, and bear the intolerable. ~ Kathleen Norris
Just when I thought my day couldn’t get any worse yesterday, I headed out to the beach where I was to meet up with a dear friend for a long catch up as we hadn’t seen each other since before I left for Argentina and we had so much to catch up on. As I was waiting for her to arrive, a car pulls up next to me and the passenger opens her door and lets it go in the Cape Town wind. Although the parking bays were big and there was plenty of space between our cars, it was still enough to go flying with a hard crunch into the side of my car. I looked up in utter disbelief. Surely this couldn’t be happening.
I didn’t trust myself to get out the car, I could feel my anger rising. I was so tired of people not taking care when they get out of their car and already have countless dings where someone’s door has connected carelessly with the side of my car. I watched to see what the woman was going to do, an apology would be nice. She didn’t say anything but as she got out she closed her car door and bent over to inspect my car and then came to my window. I still didn’t trust myself to get out and through the closed window I asked if there was damage. A string of words came out of her mouth but were carried away on the wind. I knew I had to get out my car so took a deep breath and braced myself for the worse. White paint from their car scraped all down the side of my car where the door connect and a dent in the bottom. It wasn’t as bad as I had expected but it was another scratch and dent. I’m hopeful the paint comes off easily with a good polish with no scratches underneath and I’m hopeful the ding will be able to be knocked out without too much hassle. They gave me their details and the driver apologised profusely on behalf of the passenger. I was tired and didn’t have the energy to be angry and I didn’t want to be angry. This was just how my day was going. There was not much I could do expect say “It’s ok, these things happen” while offering my best smile.
I climbed back into my car and watched as they headed out to the beach. A thought floated through my mind, I’d rather have this happen than a full-blown accident on my way home. I had to be grateful. Then a wave of emotion washed over me and behind my sunglasses my eyes burned with the threat of tears. The day had been unusually tough and I was ready for it to be over!
Luckily, the universe really does know how to put the cherry on the cake in the nicest sense of the word. My friend arrived, parked and came flying out of her car and running round to meet me at mine and with arms wide open enveloped me in a welcome home hug! It was exactly what I needed in that moment.
With her two dogs in tow we headed down the beach for an early evening walk. The wind was fresh and the smell of the sea air filled my every sense. My bare feet enjoying the million molecules of earthbeads massaging them as the ice-cold Atlantic ocean washed over them.
As we walked the sun, like a yellow disco ball hanging from a blue sky, began to sink towards the horizon bathing us in the magic of the moment. Watching a sunset and trying to explain it is like trying to retell a dream, recounting something so beautiful is a futile practice.
As we strolled along the cool, wet sand catching up, I became mesmerised by the beauty around me, the soft crashing of the waves, the water lapping at my toes, the clouds pouring over the mountain top and the yellow disco ball sun beginning to set. With each step I took I silently let go a piece of my day, each step filling me with peace and renewed hope.
I could watch a million sunsets, each one more beautiful than the next. Watching the day end so beautifully lifted my soul and reminded me that life is beautiful if you flow with its natural beauty. Resistance is what makes it ugly.
Sunsets are a celebration of things to come and for me , I was happy to let go my rather tough day, knowing that tomorrow the sun would rise and with it I would have a chance to do it all over again, this time hopefully with a lot more ease!
Tomorrow I’m so excited to be heading up the mountain again. I won’t mention which route I’ve chosen to do because the mountain is already notching up the wind and pouring the cloud over the table top as if it already knows we coming. I have a feeling we are going to be walking in the misty cloud again but hoping that the wind isn’t too bad so we can go all the way to the top this time. What is it now, fourth time lucky?! Hold thumbs….!
In other exciting news, chatting to my friend this morning, I unexpectedly discovered since our beach walk last night she’s been researching my next mountain climb, checking out prices and where and what and how and the idea is sinking in it seems, she wants to talk more about it. How amazing would it be to have her on the mountain with me?! I love planting seeds in people’s minds ~ that’s how all dreams begin…
Yes, today is already turning out so much better!
~ All Photos By Me, except for the few of me taken by my friend, Shanti. Thanks for sharing your time with me my friend, it was perfect in every way! ~
Walking4Air 