(Picture by Shadow Text.net)

A couple of weeks ago, I found this on my Facebook feed. Personally, I think Murphy had something to do with it. I never know what that Pelican is up to.

When at first glance, I thought it was a nice play on words. After all, it involves the beach. And let’s face it, who of us doesn’t like to change our focus to a place we would normally go on vacation.

But, as I looked closer, I noticed this was more than just a mere clever attempt in making a statement. These were words of advice, a real life savor, an ocean full of guidance and counsel to give real meaning to our lives.

So, I began to meditate on what was said. I placed my blanket down on the beach, settled my belongings, dug my feet into the cool damp sand, then took a deep cleansing breath and peered out at the refreshing blue body of water.

Ah yes. I felt the stress roll off my entire body.

Yet, what did this all really mean?

For each one of us, it might mean something totally different. But since this is my post, I thought I’d jump in and take a stab at it. I hope you’ll share your viewpoint in the comment section below. 🙂

Be Shore of Yourself. Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that I struggle with this one a lot. I think it goes with the territory of being a writer. I try to appreciate my own strengths and abilities, but it’s hard to be confident on a daily basis when I think that what I just wrote is a piece of rubbish. I definitely have to work on this one.

Come out of Your Shell. This one’s a biggie too. And I’m not sure if this has anything to do with being an extrovert or introvert. I guess it could. But for me, it’s a matter of trust. If I’m the one that’s sticking my neck out, I want to make ‘shore’ that someone’s not going to bite my head off. So far, so good! But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. I’ve been known to put my foot in my mouth. I know. Shocking!

Take Time to Coast. Well, since I’m sitting on the beach, breathing in the fresh salt-infused air, meditating, I’m putting this one into practice. But who of us doesn’t struggle with this? It’s not going to happen unless we schedule it in. We all have so much to do, in any given day. But there are times when we just need to coast. We need time to relax and recharge our minds and bodies or our ability to create will suffer. To be honest, it really affects every aspect of our life. So this is a must do. Somehow, SOMEHOW, we must find the time and give ourselves permission to coast. Even it it’s just for a little while. Yes, Relax and breathe! 

Avoid Pier Pressure. Let’s face it, we all like to be accepted and appreciated by our friends. But even as adults, we sometimes struggle with feelings of inadequacy—that we just don’t quite fit in—that we may not meet the standards or requirements that others may expect of us. As you can see, the pier is connected to the shore. And we can find ourselves in deep water if we don’t stop comparing ourselves to others and come to appreciate our own strengths and capabilities. We all ROCK in our own way, you know?

See Life’s Beauty.

The cool thing about this is, no matter where we live, there’s beauty. It can be in the smallest of things that will fill our hearts with joy and laughter. Yet, for us to truly gain appreciation, we must make the time to coast!

Don’t Get Tide Down. I think this is related how we spend our energy. As I sit here and watch the tide, I have to admit, it has a very strong pull. It can be high or it can be low. If we’re tide down too much, it can be a waste of our energy. And who of us has extra energy these days? So, balance seems to be the key. It’s what keeps a surfer on his board, right? If we keep balanced, we will not allow ourselves to be tided down with all the negativity and we’ll be able to perform at our best!

Make Waves! Yes, yes, yes! Don’t just stick your toe in it. Jump in and make a big splash and enjoy the ripple effect in everything that you do! I’m still working on this one. How about you?
 

So what do you think? Do you like to stand at the shore or jump in and make waves? Do you like to take a walk on the pier or would you rather stay in your shell? What kind of beauty has life thrown in your direction lately?
 
 
Cheers everyone! Thank you so much for all your support and wonderful comments!
Karen