Sometimes we are exactly where we need to be. . .

It is true – walking is good for you. Even more so when you're walking on the beach. 
 
A few weeks ago, I made a spontaneous trip to the beach with the boys. The weather was good and I had a free schedule. The boys were on school holiday, so we went down to Aramoana Beach.

​On the beach (which I am ashamed to say I have never been to after 25 years of living here) – we did the usual thing, we looked for interesting sea shells or rocks. As you can see in the photo there are literally millions of them. Naturally as humans you try to hunt for a unique one – and you do find one. You will then find one more further along, you will then find another that is even more unique and so on. Soon you will have a handful of shells. 

 This got me thinking. Almost every one of those sea shells are different. Similar BUT different. In a way that reflects what we yearn for every day – we get out of bed full of anticipation of new adventures and more often than not, it ends up with same s*** different day scenario! Every experience that we encounter may be similar but it is actually different – the matter is dependant on your perception. 
 
Here lies my biggest revelation from that walk on the beach that day. As I was so engrossed in hunting for that one special seashell along that beach, I forgot to look up. Because when I looked up, this is what I saw.

It was majestic and beautiful. This experience taught me that as we search for that unique seashell experience along the beach in our own lives – we forget to look up and understand that what we are experiencing already is unique. We don’t realise it and we forget to savour what is all around us.
 
How often in my twenties I pondered the question of what am I doing with my life?

Most of us will go through that phase and then settle down and achieve what society perceives as measures of normality – a family, a car, a house or maybe a dog.

Then the cycle repeats.

This time maybe throw in a convertible, yoga classes and slim fit shirts and skinny pants that never quite gets the approval of your children.
 
Yes, plenty of generalisations in the above paragraph I know, but many of us can identify with that and there is definitely nothing wrong with any of the above IF that’s what makes you happy.
 
But in doing that – don’t forget to look up and see the beauty of where you are right this moment. ​