What is more wonderful than walking barefoot along the sandy beach with the scent and taste of the salty sea air upon us? The sound of waves lapping rhythmically against the shoreline are soothing and seem to wash away all worldly concerns and lull us into peaceful oblivian. I do not live near an ocean but do remember spending blissful days in Hawaii where the warm greenish blue colored waters of the Pacific Ocean wove a spell of tranquillity to tourists and locals alike.
I recall, especially, the stretch of beach where an artist had fashioned a beautiful display of sancastles and sea gardens that were breathtaking to behold. Even the seagulls hovered over the water and swooped nearby, as if to admire the artwork, which was to be enjoyed momentarily before the waters rose with the tides to sweep them away.
I wondered why the artist created such beautiful works knowing that in a short matter of time they would be wiped away. Her answer was that her work was a work of love and all beautiful things on earth have their moments of glory but soon will fade into memory. They are to be enjoyed in the present and anticipated in the future. She was a very perceptive and lovely woman, wise beyond her years.
The silver sword plant is an amazing plant that thrives in Hawaii on barren soil, often up on craters of a volcano. It has beautiful silver colored spires that shimmer in the light and it can live up to fifty years. The special thing about it is that it blooms only once in it's lifetime with beautiful purple colored daisy like flowers. I have only read about it and seen pictures. To those who know the plant, the anticipation of waiting for that sight of it's flowering makes everything worthwhile.
Amazing sandcastles and silversword plants that grant us glimpses of beauty, though ever so briefly, remind us of the fragility of life and how we must treasure them while they are with us.
If we walk our path slowly and observe all of those splendid sunsets, springtime blossoms and the multitude of ordinary wonders all around us in creation and in people, we will have lived well.
Take time to enjoy the special moments that life offers, for they may never return exactly the same.
