Friday, August 19, 2016

Ripples of Joy

Late afternoon sun through the palms and red hibiscus flowered plants that wall my palo santo scented bungalow. Wet laundry flapping in the light breeze--sundresses and sarongs, my 'I Love Goa' beach towel, like I need reminded. Sun-kissed skin, coral cut feet, hammock folds. Banana pancakes and coconut everything. Yoga sunrises, salty, sandy skin, reading books and writing for hours. Ocean, jungle, volcanoes. Indonesia. Home.


Lately, I've been spending a good chunk of time lounging in my hammock listening to the new season of Magic Lessons (amazing timing) as well as bunches of Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler recordings (random, yet awesome rediscovery).

On low tide afternoons, I find a sunny spot on the beach and read Anthony Doerr and Margaret Atwood--books I'd never even considered before now. And like the magic lessons and music, they mysteriously presented themselves to me in such a way I had no choice but to indulge in them.


Every morning, I follow the sandy path from my cottage down to the ocean side cafe where I drink coffee and write. I stare off beyond the cafe at the boats bobbing along the edge of the beach, at people fumbling around in the coral filled waters, at the mountainous terrain of Lombok across the strait, at the erupting Mt. Rinjani--looking for any sign that it is indeed erupting.


I island hop to the other gilis with no other reason than to walk their perimeters and take pictures. On my first hop over to Gili Meno, I realized that these islands that look so close together, close enough to swim between are, in fact, much further apart when you're out on the open ocean traveling between them.

,

As random as each of these things are, I've been doing them simply because they bring me joy in this time and place. And when you are filled with joy it tends to have a ripple effect on the world around you. Like skipping stones of joy into the Universe. It has the power to change everything.


Do you pay attention to the things in your life that bring you joy? Do you notice if your joy causes a ripple effect on your world and the people around you? Tell me about your joy and what it does!

4 comments:

  1. Paying attentions to the things around me brings me joy, when I dedicate full attention to what surrounds me it seems that my self and all the suffering attached to it drops. And then it is not me and the universe, it is just Love. Beautiful Post. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! Yes, I agree--when you start to pay attention to the things around you in the moment, all the suffering in your head subsides :)

      Delete
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r27xGM29GJE

    ReplyDelete