Life is a Beach

The view of the lake was pristine. Glassy water. Early morning reverie. No stirred silt at the beach. Clear, clean, calm. I sit on a bench, lose myself for a moment. That's all I can spare. I have somewhere else to go....

Don't I?

I've taken a few days to vacation and (hopefully) write. The first couple of days have challenged me to slow down, shut down and relax. Empty my mind. Forget about schedules. Pack away thoughts in Pandora's box for a future day when I have the fortitude to sort them out.

For now, I have nowhere to go. Just breathe. Soak up the sun. Dig my toes in the sand. Plunge into the bracing water.

A perfect plan.

But no. The sun burns, the hot sand scorches my winter-wimp feet, the cold water shocks my system and my thoughts keep escaping from Pandora.

It was still good. It was very good.

I found a book at the resort's store I've been wanting to read. Paid $1. I paid more than that in late fines for the same book I checked out of the library and never got around to reading. It's already half finished.

I've finished several books this summer:

1. The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning

2. The Noticer by Andy Andrews

3. The One Minute Cure by Madison Cavanaugh

And I have a couple in process:

4. Abba's Child by Brennan Manning

5. Good But Not Safe: Short Stories ed. by Brett Lott

6. Night by Elie Wiesel

And I have a shelf load of others queued up for when those are done.

Note to self: do not buy any more books before you read the ones you've already purchased.

So I did have somewhere to go. I drove back to the city tonight so I can attend this one little weekly meeting I love with my book discussion group. It's by a lake too, so I'm not really cheating on my vacation...