The end of a stressful and mind-numbing week saw me gather my camera and bag of bits as I headed off down to Picnic Island to see what the night sky might bring. In truth I was hoping for a storm but storms seem to be avoiding me at the moment.
I tried the beach first but didn’t really like the view and after taking a moment to feed a raccoon with some Arby’s french fries, I drove over to where the fishing pier was. He loved them, btw!
I set up my stall at the near-end of the pier and watched the comings and goings as the sun dipped from the sky and beneath the horizon, creating a golden, to amber, to red set of hues along the way. Hope you like this collection of images from what turned out to be a very picturesque evening.
I am not a fisher-person and object strongly to sport fishing but the people on this pier that were catching fish looked very much ordinary folk who were likely going to eat anything they caught and that is altogether fine with me.
But the greater sense that I got in watching them was the peaceful joy they seemed to have in fishing with friends, or with their sons, or even those who just went to the pier and rested on the railing to watch the sun go down.
All around the greater Tampa Bay Area, droves of people headed to malls, movies, restaurants, bars, clubs, etc … but the people here with me had chosen to find a level of enjoyment that was centered about peace.
And that is the thought that ran around inside my head, as eventually I climbed into the car and drove home.
Most of us leave the notion of finding real peace as something that is akin to death. Hence the whole “Rest in Peace” sentiment often expressed at death.
But what is wrong with a Live in Peace sentiment?
Why is rush (and the stress that comes with it) the norm for so many of us? I am not dismissing the thrill of exciting pastimes. Honestly. But I think oftentimes we forget that life is about balance and we focus only on the thrill and forego the peace.
In olden days, people drew much of their joy of life from quiet times with family and friends. Or even alone times when lucky enough to be able to breathe in the air in the lovely surrounds of somewhere beautiful.
Theme parks, action movies, video games, and other adrenaline-rush activities have replaced reading, listening to music, sharing stories around a fireplace, or relaxing in front of a setting sun… for too many of us.
But thankfully, as I witnessed last night, there are still some souls out there who understand that living and breathing should also include “breathing in” … breathing in our moments, our surrounds, our fellow travelers through life. Finding the peace within us and outside of us.
I hope you take the time to give yourself some peace this coming week. And if you do happen to find it, also take the time to share peace with others. Likely as not, they probably need it!
