I woke up today at 4:45 am. That isn’t usual for me, I am more of a 6:30am(ish) guy. Today was special though, an old friend invited me for an ocean swim before the sun came up and I couldn't turn that down. The sky was black when I walked outside with my coffee and got into my car, and the bite of cold in the air definitely made me second guess my trajectory towards the water. There’s nothing quite as intoxicating as a warm bed on a chilly, winter morning. So much so that otherwise unique pre-dawn outings can sometimes get second billing to the main event of sleeping past the alarm and doing that weird “yes” head motion on the pillow. You know the one, where you find a spot so deliciously comfortable that you kind of nod in approval onto the you-soaked linen.
"What is sacred is our potential and capacity to notice." I am convinced that our capacity for enlightenment comes from our awareness of how small and insignificant we are and how beautiful and inexplicable everything else is... which is a direct opposition to society's barrage of reminders that we are the apex.
(postscript: *you-soaked linen* is fucking poetry.)
I try to live the present as much as I can. I have been a mother for 11 month now, and thanks to my baby I appreciate more and more the little details that make life a treasure
What a beautiful experience and thank you for sharing it with us. ❤ I have never been IN the ocean for the sunrise like that but I love watching the sunrise when I go on beach trips. It takes a few hours for me to get to the beach though, and Virginia Beach is my favorite in my area. I also love watching and listening to the waves under the moonlight. One of my favorite memories like that was actually watching the ocean under a full moon from a cruise ship several years back. I agree that those moments make me feel tiny yet infinite and connected to everything at the same time and closer to God. I've also experienced a similar feeling when I've taken early morning walks through the woods at Alum Springs Park near me. I've usually been mostly alone except for squirrels and once I had a surreal encounter with a deer. These moments are important in life! And I started making an annual trip to the beach for my birthday the past few years as a tradition to celebrate life in my happy place. Happy early birthday to you!
I can picture everything in this story like a painting. I also do the yes movement into my pillow on Saturday mornings. Thanks for sharing a picturesque story.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful moment. There’s so much magic in the details of daily life. Noticing, appreciating can change the course of a day and make ordinary extraordinary. I’ve been trying these past two-three years to establish a sunset gratitude practice & just meditate on the clouds and colors in the sky each evening. The days I follow through on that practice feel so much lighter.
As I sit here drinking my nightly cup of coffee, the cold wind reminds me of the first spring day when the water is still crisp from winter. Your writing reminds me of how thankful we should be. Having the beautiful sun to warm us and the water to keep us alive!! Cheers and enjoy your Birthday tomorrow!!!!
As I'm experiencing a physically l painful period, in the last months, I could walk just a little and just around ny neighborhood, that luckily is close to the Adriatic sea, and as you just said, even if it's always there, it's unbelievable how powerful the "things for granted" could be when you finally notice them. Btw it's nice to know that you no longer wake up at 7am. ❤️A big hug from Italy, and thank you for sharing what you sea.
After just having spent a week circumnavigating Southern California—from the mountainous coast to the enormous deserts, both high and low—there is truly something weirdly wonderful that happens in California during winter. Such stunning observations, Brandon.
Chilly? I am 50 miles or so down the coast from you and I felt that rare morning wind was blowing a bit warmer then the air temperature. It's one of my favorite weathers.
Your ability to perfectly capture/articulate moments like this, whether in posts like this, in song or visual art, is so inspiring. Thank you!
"What is sacred is our potential and capacity to notice." I am convinced that our capacity for enlightenment comes from our awareness of how small and insignificant we are and how beautiful and inexplicable everything else is... which is a direct opposition to society's barrage of reminders that we are the apex.
(postscript: *you-soaked linen* is fucking poetry.)
The head nod into the pillow, burrowing deeper into heavy-eyelid bliss. I know it so well. Beautiful writing.
I try to live the present as much as I can. I have been a mother for 11 month now, and thanks to my baby I appreciate more and more the little details that make life a treasure
(sorry for my English, I'm French)
PS : I love A Better Universe ❤
Thanks BB, when we take the time to reflect, Gods creation is so unique and full of bliss that fulfillment is indeed possible.
What a beautiful experience and thank you for sharing it with us. ❤ I have never been IN the ocean for the sunrise like that but I love watching the sunrise when I go on beach trips. It takes a few hours for me to get to the beach though, and Virginia Beach is my favorite in my area. I also love watching and listening to the waves under the moonlight. One of my favorite memories like that was actually watching the ocean under a full moon from a cruise ship several years back. I agree that those moments make me feel tiny yet infinite and connected to everything at the same time and closer to God. I've also experienced a similar feeling when I've taken early morning walks through the woods at Alum Springs Park near me. I've usually been mostly alone except for squirrels and once I had a surreal encounter with a deer. These moments are important in life! And I started making an annual trip to the beach for my birthday the past few years as a tradition to celebrate life in my happy place. Happy early birthday to you!
I watch the sunrise every day..6:30 i(sh..)
as if awoken by a dream..
Today was never promised
So I know what this means to me.
This ever-changing array of colour..
Followed by Golden light
What I truly love and warms me more than heart
Is watching the early morning birds preparing.
until they are ready to take their flight..
Good morning 🌄 Love and Light from Portugal 🎵💘🎶
I can picture everything in this story like a painting. I also do the yes movement into my pillow on Saturday mornings. Thanks for sharing a picturesque story.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful moment. There’s so much magic in the details of daily life. Noticing, appreciating can change the course of a day and make ordinary extraordinary. I’ve been trying these past two-three years to establish a sunset gratitude practice & just meditate on the clouds and colors in the sky each evening. The days I follow through on that practice feel so much lighter.
Morning delight and its myriad accompaniments well captured. Loved reading it.
“I marvel at the stars and feel my heart overflow.” I get it. I love catching myself in moments of true appreciation of the beauty that’s around us.
As I sit here drinking my nightly cup of coffee, the cold wind reminds me of the first spring day when the water is still crisp from winter. Your writing reminds me of how thankful we should be. Having the beautiful sun to warm us and the water to keep us alive!! Cheers and enjoy your Birthday tomorrow!!!!
Okay, so what water/air temperature are we talking. Because here in NJ, a winter dip at 5am and I'm going to Jack-from-Titanic that shit.
As I'm experiencing a physically l painful period, in the last months, I could walk just a little and just around ny neighborhood, that luckily is close to the Adriatic sea, and as you just said, even if it's always there, it's unbelievable how powerful the "things for granted" could be when you finally notice them. Btw it's nice to know that you no longer wake up at 7am. ❤️A big hug from Italy, and thank you for sharing what you sea.
After just having spent a week circumnavigating Southern California—from the mountainous coast to the enormous deserts, both high and low—there is truly something weirdly wonderful that happens in California during winter. Such stunning observations, Brandon.
Chilly? I am 50 miles or so down the coast from you and I felt that rare morning wind was blowing a bit warmer then the air temperature. It's one of my favorite weathers.