"It's Still There"

I spent this past weekend at the ocean with friends. We were on the Washington coast, a blustery, chilly place in early March. We took several beach walks and we went into the small town to buy crab. To be honest, though, we spent most of our time sheltered from the wind and cold, comfortably inside the condo, working jigsaw puzzles, playing games, reading, and enjoying food and cocktails.

The condo sealed us in. One of my friends, however, periodically needed to hear the roar of the waves. She'd open the glass door, stand on the balcony, and let the crashing, constant sounds of the ocean resonate around her. A few minutes later, she'd return to the warmth of the condo and report with a smile, "It's still there."

Reassuring words. It's helpful to know something bigger, older and hopefully wiser than we are is close by. It shrinks unpredictable upsets, petty conflicts, self importance, and worries to the size of a grain of sand. Not a bad weekend.