Originally posted 28 September 2017.
Last New Year's Eve, I took Josh to the beach and showed him a hidden lookout I'd found months before. That day we ticked off our first Nike list item. A few days later, we sat down and had the beginnings of our list. Nine months later, and we headed back to the beach. This time for number twenty two on the list... sunrise date.
At 4:55am, our alarms rang out, almost as if they were competing with one another. Josh and I got dressed in the dark, then drove away to go sun chasing.
It's a beautiful and rare experience to sit and see the sun rise. To watch how subtly the sky goes from darkness to light. It happens almost without any warning. When we left home there was a tickle of the promise of coming sunlight, but we were mostly guided by the harsh, artificial lights of cars and street lamps.
Yet, as we drove, little by little, our sight increased. A single turn in a different direction and we were flooded with a warmth of light we didn't have before. Like a little kid on Christmas Eve, I couldn't wait to get to the beach. The clock would tick over. What felt like ten minutes had only been two.
I jumped out of the car, dumbfounded as to why Josh was taking his time. Barefoot and hand in hand, we walked across the road to the beach. For some reason, I find such satisfaction in the feeling of cold sand in between my toes. It has a refreshing quality that I miss from warm sand.
Trips to the beach as a couple are semi-regular for us. But it's usually an afternoon walk or a morning surf for Josh while I read or walk. The novelty of heading for the sunrise added a spin on our usual walking conversations.
We talked about the miracle of the sun. How it manages to light the entire sky before it has even made an appearance. We talked about the waters and how they move so continuously. We walked and talked and let the wonder of nature into our world. And even though the sun decided to play hide and seek amongst the clouds, and the moment wasn't how I'd imagined it to be, it was beautiful all the same.
It took a while for us to make this sunrise date work. Life. Need I say more? So much of me wanted to spend the time sleeping instead, but I let the other-ever-so-small-but-wonderful part of me have a turn. You know the side right?
Its the one that looks at the good and worthwhile things and craves them, putting aside tiredness or time or anxiety or whatever excuses the rest of us comes up with. I loved giving into that side today.
We got to 7am and I already felt amazing having had showered, eaten, and had some solid relax time with Josh. The older I get, the easier it seems to tune out that side of myself in favour of sleep and downtime.
So I propose its time to listen a little more, and do a little more. I know, life is crazy busy, but I'm not talking to the point of feeling overwhelmed, but just taking some time, more than you do now, to do something that other-ever-so-small-but-wonderful part of you says you should. And only you know what that is.
