A Happy Place

On Wednesday morning, I dropped my little one off at her adopted auntie's house and was off to ballet class. A friend of mine takes her once a week for a few hours so I can do something for myself, or go on a daytime date with my hubby. After picking up the kiddo and heading back home, her daddy suggested he take her on a few errands with him so I could have a little "alone" time.

You bet I jumped on that idea right away! It is a rare thing for me to have so much time in one day to do whatever I please. What a gift! Now, I could have cleaned up around the house (although the kitchen was already sparkling clean thanks to my DH). And I could have jumped on my computer to answer emails or get started on my next blog post. I thought for a couple seconds about what I wanted to do. Then I jumped on our little golf cart, and here is where I went:

It is so therapeutic to come here and bask in the sun, to wade in the water and let it gently rock me to and fro, allowing me to be weightless, free from any responsibilities or burdens-if only for a little while.

In preparation for the birth of our little one, we had private sessions with a birth preparation coach. She encouraged me to create a "happy place" in my mind, where I could go mentally to cope with contractions, etc. I did not live in Hawaii at the time and ironically, my happy place was Ko Olina, where I now call home. And though I ended up not having the natural birth I anticipated, my happy place came in handy while suddenly being prepped for Cesarean.

If you haven't guessed, Ko Olina beach is still my happy place. We are very blessed to live here. You may not have the beaches of Hawaii easily accessible, but you can find a special place to go for solitude. It is so important for us to have balance in our lives. Just this week, we have had two loved ones face very difficult health challenges and it has really put things into perspective. We have had some financial struggles lately, as many of you have as well. Financial security has kind of gone out the window with the recent twists and turns of our economy. Life has it's challenges, but when I take that old advice, "count your blessings" to heart, I can take a look around and be thankful. I can close my eyes, take a deep breath, and embrace life as it is.

So where's your Happy Place?