One of my favorite things to do in summer is to take my kayak out on the large lake near my home. Because there are many people who also enjoy getting out on the water, I tend to prefer a quieter weekday morning, especially when the winds are light and variable, providing just the right amount of breeze –not too hot, not too cold.
This morning was one of those mornings. The day dawned without a cloud in the sky and my husband, and I loaded the kayaks on top of the truck and drove the few miles to a boat launch. When I put my kayak in the water, there were diamonds on the lake. That wonderful phenomenon of the bright sun reflecting off the cerulean blue water.
I quickly settled into the rhythm of my paddle gliding from side to side and before long we were out of the bay and into the deeper and wider part of the lake. I could see a few sailboats in the distance, their white sails billowing nicely with the gentle wind. Thoughts of book marketing my new book vanished, replaced with the joy of just enjoying the moment.
After about an hour, we came to a small pebble beach, where we got out, and sat on an old washed-up beaver-eaten log, soaking up the warm rays from the mid-morning sun.
My husband said, “These are the best skipping stones ever.”
I watched him skillfully skip stone after stone as if they were ballerinas leaping and pirouetting over the water. When I try to skip stones, they usually plop a couple of times before sinking below the surface.
Heading back, we passed a series of tall cliffs, the diamond effect on the lake shimmering off the dark faces resembling a million butterflies in flight. I stopped paddling to admire the spectacle, letting my kayak bob in the quiet waves. The light and shadow shifted and changed so rapidly it seemed they were in a mesmeric waltz; a beauty that left me feeling light and weightless as if I too were somehow part of it. I breathed in a lungful of air, smiled, and turned my kayak toward home.
“Happiness depends on ourselves.” Aristotle
How did you find solace this week?
Sharon
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