I invite you to find your own place of peace each day.
I am now somewhere around 8 months into my 'new walking period'. I began a daily walk (95% of days) that is about 1 hour and 15 minutes in total. At the turn around place on my walk is a parking lot (soon to be park) overlooking Budd Inlet in Olympia, Washington.
At the edge of the parking lot; overlooking the bay and a creek; that almost no one knows exists (except the neighborhood folks); someone paid to have a small deck built. (Thank you to whoever you are). I began to use this deck for my daily stretching and exercises. It is now the most common place that I visit outside of my home, as I am there almost every day.
I have experienced all weather types while on this deck, except for extreme cold. I've been on it when it was 27 degrees. Now it is coming into spring's full glory!
It is my second favorite place on earth.
I have seen so much while I stand there by myself on that deck. I've seen a bald eagle as close as 50 yards away sitting on an old dock post in a driving rainstorm just as happily as could be. I've seen the beginning of the mating season of many waterfowl. I've seen the tide come in and go out....the birds picking up their oysters and then flying up 50 ft....dropping them to the ground to break them open, and then going immediately down to eat their treat.
I've watched as they loaded the cargo ships across the bay at the ocean terminal....and seen beautiful sunsets as sail boats coasted across the water back and forth tacking with the wind.....I've seen snow, rain, sleet, hail, wind, and amazing beautiful sunsets....and I've seen so many colors in the water that it is impossible to describe.
Buffle Heads ducks are dominant bird in the bay where I go; but there are also Goldeneye, Mallards, Canadian Geese, Kingfisher, Cormorant, many Seagull types, Crows, Robins, and an occasional deer or red fox on the shore.
An aside; as I'm writing this part, the song; "Sunshine on my Shoulders", by John Denver is playing from the player on this site. What song is playing while you're reading here? What a beautiful song, especially this morning as I sit in my temporary 'dining room' office working. (I'm taking a break right now).
My walk and this 'deck' that I go to each day are my retreat from the stress of the world. I try my very best to not take any stress with me when I go for my walk and then up on that deck. I leave it alone, back at the house for that 1 1/4 hour each day.
I suggest that everyone should have their own walk and 'deck on the bay'....and go there at least for one hour each day. You will find peace and inner strength there. This I know from my own experience. Thanks for the inspiration brother Ken Grawet.
Go with peace and happiness! May the longtime sun shine upon you!
