Sunday morning. I’m relaxing on the couch in our Big Sur cottage enjoying the spectacular scene of rain falling at sunshine at the same time. I feel as if I’m nestled in the Enchanged Forrest. In the ktichen are the soft, gleeful voices of my mom and mother in law preparing coffee and admiring the view. I am relaxed and invigorated at the same time.
I reflect upon the weekend’s activities: hiking to the beach, a picnic, shopping for jewelery, making jewelery, lunch out by the Big Sur river, laughing so hard my face hurt, scenic drives. So much, yet I had the amazing feeling of doing nothing at all. I suppose the word that comes to mind is effortless.
Even the food felt effortless. I ate when hungry, ate what I desired and stopped when full. Instead of feasting of food to fill my spirit I feasted on love, laughter and the beauty around me. I was in Paradise. The best part was, I did not think about anything work or school related, and thus had on underlying anxiety at all. I was then emotionally and mentally free to be fully present an savor my experience.
In my life the way I eat often mirrors the way I life. When it’s strained, forced or regimented, that usually means (for me) that I too am being these things. When I feel free, so does my appetite and my desire. I don’t resist anything, I simply go with the flow. It’s amazing how authentic and easy that can be when I’m away from my daily life and in a beautiful place. For those who haven’t been to Big Sur, it’s like stepping into nature’s Paradise and stepping out of a world of sensory overload. There is no cell reception. The shops along the Highway have been there for years. The are no billboards, Starbucks, and instead there succulent plants, artists’ workshops, organic honey at local cafe’s and a wild California coastline to tie it all together.
I’m grateful for my weekend because it helped me tap into the gratitude I have for my life. As I allowed myself to take it all in and enjoy the experience of just ‘being’, I could then tap into a creativity within myself and a deep sense of hope and confidence for my life.
We stayed at the Ripplewood Resorts, along Hwy 1. These quaint cottages are nestled in redwoods along the Big Sur river and are a perfect place to stay if you want something more homey than a hotel but at an affordable price. I highly recommend the experience.
Off White Living 