Beach Day!

I have not been to a beach for quite some time. Considering we live in Florida this is probably a major offense written somewhere in the Book of Beach Laws. I was never one of those girls who enjoyed laying out in a bikini at the beach. The ones who go out with their cutest bikini and slather on the tanning oil. Then just Bake. Quite literally. They may take a walk to scope out some "Hot Bods" and maybe take a dip in the ocean, but most of their Beach time is spent baking away their youth. Only they won't reap the dangers of this until way later in life.

I on the way other end of the beach body spectrum was extremely insecure with my body and at times still am. In my younger years it was wearing shorts and /or a long t-shirt to fully cover my body. As I grew older I would brave the bikini but more than not wore a long t-shirt still. In my high school years I was a little more confident but still insecure because I was fit and had a healthy body (thanks to being an active cheerleader and an exercise fanatic) BUT I didn't like the attention of anyone looking at my body. My body was Mine and I didn't appreciate the onlookers of any type. At this stage I was almost a master in hiding my insecurities....for the most part.

Jump ahead years...many years later and I am somewhat comfortable in my body. After having 2 littles I'd say I don't look that bad. I still am insecure with certain aspects but am very good now at covering the insecurity. I have to because I have little ones that look up to me. One thing that I am learning to "fake til you make it" is confidence. What was once, "I will never look like THAT in a bikini!" Transpires now to "I just want to feel healthy. However that is supposed to look for me. Looking that way is not as important as the overall feeling of health, wellness, & energy."

This weekend we headed to the beach. G-man has been wanting so desperately to go and we were supposed to go Father's Day but we had a flat tire and never made it. Saturday we finally made the trip. Despite an obnoxious, I am better than anyone and am extremely inconsiderate of there being anyone else in this world outside of my bubble teenager who stole a parking spot from us. Quite literally pulled into the middle of the road horizontally and blocked us from being able to go around despite our obvious blinker being on and the fact that we were waiting patiently BEFORE she even pulled her car into the lane we were in!!! Despite the fact that prior to finding the spot that the obnoxious teenager stole after we had been searching for 20 minutes and waiting another 10 for that spot! Despite the fact that after said teenager stole our spot we then had to drive around for another 20 minutes before FINALLY finding a spot to park. Despite....... we were at the beach.
( Ohhhhmmmmm. Ally McBeal Moment was pretty intense and I needed an Ohmmm to quiet the madness that my Ally McBeal moment was bringing!) We made it onto the beach and enjoyed the salty warm ocean, the burning sand, and the littles with smiles larger than life. We played for about 1 1/2 hours prior to leaving due to the lovely summer storms that we get every afternoon like clockwork. We had done it! Finally enjoyed a beautiful beach day!

For me the beach has always been about inspiration. It often times has been my creative space to go and write. It has always eased my mind and cleansed my body in a way that nothing else can. There is something about the vastness of the ocean, the smell of the saltwater, the sound of the waves splashing on the shore, the hot sand caving in between your toes, and the fresh Sunny air. There is a magic that has always happened for me on the beach creatively. It is the only place I can have a completely FREE mind to allow whatever creative ideas or in my case words transpire freely within. The place I can escape my own head by not analyzing my every thought. It has, more than not, been a place that I go to walk, think, grieve, and write. There is something that speaks so loudly to me about this piece of mother nature. At night it is just as inspiring. The drummers on the beach, the way the moon reflects off the water, the romantic ambiance and the serenity. For me it is magic because I am a writer and often times I am most inspired when I am  moved emotionally by something or someone. I tend to "feel" a little deeper and this is a welcomed trait. It allows me to re-center and clarify who I am.

So, for all you Beach Babes and Dudes keep on rockin' the tanning oil and baking your beautifully tanned beach bodies. If the beach calls to you in that way so be it. For me. Well....I'll either be the mom slathering SPF 50+ on herself and her little ones while playing in the sand and waves getting every bit of sand on everything I bring but laughing joyfully at the smiles a day at the beach can bring. OR  I will be that woman sitting in her tank and shorts with a pen and notebook in hand relishing in all the creative inspiration the beach can bring.