Beauty and the Beach
At least ten years ago I created this clay sculpture which I entitled, "Beauty and the Beach".
As a Florida native, I’ve had the luxury of escaping to the beach on short notice. The oceans on either side of me are virtually only a movie’s length distance away from my doorstep. There are pictures of me at four plopped contentedly amid mounds of white confectionary sugar-like sand. (And, unfortunately there are also pictures of me at 64 virtually doing the same thing).I was thinking about this as I lazed away in a low beach chair beneath a Tommy Bahama umbrella recently. (The umbrella was rarely if ever present in my four year old beach days when sun screen and shade weren’t deemed essential by scientists or Moms alike). Even though I’m older and heavier the beach still offers a place of acceptance and equality regardless of size, age, income level, color, or even species. 
I write a lot about the plight of Lady Boomers (women of the baby boomer generation). Women of this generation have and continue to wear a lot of hats and are simultaneously professionals, Moms, daughters, grandmothers, volunteers and board members alike. Multi-tasking all of these roles can lead to “multi-taxing” our spirits. So my Rx for quieting our chatter-brains and addressing all this multi-tasking is a retreat to the beach or whatever destination affords you a place for meditation and contemplation. 
Imagine you are driving across the bridge to the beach. Feel and smell the humid, salty air as you allow the ocean breeze to penetrate the schedules, to-do lists, and deadlines that live inside your overworked brain. During your time in the sun, envision yourself.. *reading a novel (non-fiction not allowed)*frolicking in the water, delighting as you dive into the foamy washing machine waves, just like you did when you were a kid*scouting for seashells and sand dollars*walking along the water’s edge at low tide Escaping your to-do list should be on your to-do list this weekend.Now, why don’t you go from imagining this scene to acting on it? What would you ideal day off look like?