We just got back from five days in Cancun (without our children) where the hardest decision we had to make was which restaurant to pick for dinner. Life has been so stressful over the past couple of years with the pandemic and all the uncertainty and upheaval that accompanied it. And with Emily hard at work on her dissertation, we needed a break.
Emily and I are very intentional about getting time away for just the two of us. We recognize the need for it and make a priority. I tell people that we come back to our kids as better parents, but the reality is we come back as simply better people. We travel well together and enjoy exploring and finding new places. But we also value time with nothing that has to be done. Most of the time, we were not totally sure what day it was! We came back home tanned and rested and, sort of, ready to jump back into the busyness of our lives.
I think one of the best parts of the trip was getting to play in the waves every day. The water in Cancun is beautiful, but the last several times we have gone, the seaweed has been so bad that we didn’t get to enjoy the ocean. This time, we were able to spend lots of time in the water.
On the second day, I realized that it was the water that was restoring and healing, calming my busy mind and spirit. I looked around at all the other people in the water around us and noticed that everyone was smiling, and the sound of laughter was as loud as the crashing of the waves, and I realized that it is impossible to not be happy playing in the waves at the beach. If you don’t believe me, go to a beach and try it out. I guarantee you will smile and laugh. If you can’t go to a beach, try playing with kids in a pool…you will smile and laugh there too. Or, if it ever rains enough around here to make some, go jump in puddle.
I have been thinking about water a lot of the last several days and how it worked it’s magic on us in Mexico. We know how important water is to life. It hydrates us and cleanses us. It makes things grow and flourish. It restores us and renews us. But it is also wild and hard to control. I think that was what made the waves so much fun. The loudest laughter came after getting smacked by a wave that we didn’t see coming.
Water, for all the good, can also be dangerous. The same river that nourishes a valley can overflow and destroy homes and crops. The waves that we ride and swim in can turn on us.
So, here is the question…Will we let the risk keep us from experiencing the renewal? Will we let the chance that something bad might happen keep us from enjoying the almost certain positive outcomes?
We are conditioned to look for safety and to avoid danger. We want predictable and avoid what we cannot control. And in doing so, we may just be missing out on the very healing that our bodies and our souls need so desperately.
Here is the reality…Safe things don’t change things.
So, step out into the wild, let the waves wash over you, take the risk, and you may see yourself come out a little stronger, healthier, and more at peace. At the very least, you may find your smile again, and that is no small thing.