“What are your plans this weekend?” Bear asked on Friday.
A fair enough question, considering I’d just asked him the same thing. And yet, I cringed inside, because the usual answer (to anyone under 25) is really quite boring. Go grocery shopping, act as chauffeur, cook, garden and catch up on anything that didn’t get done during the week. It’s pretty routine and a version of that happens most weekends. Very Groundhog Day.
I looked at my son, fresh from finishing his final exam and with his whole adult life within his grasp, and I wanted the answer to be a bit different. To show him that even though life becomes routine much of the time, it’s important to make time for something that reminds you that you are alive, not just going through the motions.
And then I looked at the Mandurah foreshore in front of me. It’s a beautiful seaside area with cafes along the waterfront and only 25 minutes from my home. In that moment, I realised that while I live within 10-20 minutes of a gorgeous stretch of coastline, I rarely made time to stick my feet in the sand and feel the water on my toes.
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| Mandurah foreshore. |
“I’m going for a walk on the beach,” I said to Bear. And I hoped it would happen. After all, I knew the usual jobs would still need to be done.
Saturday came and went – I grocery shopped while Blue Eyes and Bear went car shopping. I dropped Monkey at the train station. I cooked. And I de-cluttered (I’m in a de-cluttering mood and the Fab Four really should be making the most – if they ask for help, I’ll be there) a little. The day came and went without any fuss (quite good for a Saturday) and at the end, while Blue Eyes and I shared a glass of wine, he said it.
“I’m looking forward to staying home all day tomorrow,” he said and took a sip of his wine. “I’m going to plant more seeds in the garden and just potter around all day.”
As my hopes washed away like a shell in the tide, two words from one of my favourite movies came to me: Carpe Diem. Seize the day.
“Would you like to go for an early morning walk along the beach first?” I asked.
Blue Eyes looked at me with a smile reaching to his beautiful eyes and I knew I’d won him over – “walkies” is a magic word for more than dogs. And while his idea of early morning (6am) was slightly different to mine (8am), we drove to the beach this morning to remind ourselves to live.
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| Safety Bay, WA |
Point Peron, WA.
We talked about our dreams, our plans, our vision for our life together … and we tried very hard not to talk about the Fab Four. We reminded ourselves that it’s OK to run away from home for a while so we can look at the place we live through different eyes. We splashed in rock pools (OK that was an accident), pointed at shells, starfish, crabs and birds like the children we once were, and held hands like we hope to do for many years to come. It’s even possible that we stole a kiss or two.
We had a day less ordinary.
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Sounds like you found a bit of heaven with blue eyes today Monique and a world I was very fortunate to grow up in! There is so much to explore in and around where you live (and work) – you should visit the Rockingham Visitor Centre to get brochures on lots of great places to see.. I love your photos they are beautiful and you are right – each day is a gift.