Feeling grounded
When I am surrounded by nature, I feel peace. It all makes sense to me, and I am able to think clearly and creatively and feel happy and alive.
Yesterday, I had a meltdown. A full blown Belinda dissolves into an ugly puddle, meltdown. I felt overwhelmed, claustrophobic in my head and distant from anything that made sense. After a good cry, I dragged my pathetic self to Danny, who was trying to give me space, and poured our my jumbled mess of nonsensical sorrows to him, wanting him to solve it all but not wanting a single word of advice (I know…it makes no sense), and he said to me, you need to walk in the dirt with your shoes off so you can feel grounded again.
And so I did.
The airbnb we are staying in, is on the 11th floor of a building next to a large shopping mall. We are surrounded by concrete and granite and glass and plastic and porcelain.
Not too far away is an inlet, and after taking the lift down to the first floor, I made a bee line for that water. The second I reached a place where I could see more nature than concrete, I felt like I could breathe again, and I kicked my shoes off to feel the earth beneath my bare feet and instantly felt weightless and free.
My husband is a genius and he knows me well. All I needed was nature. Dirt. Grass. Trees. Water. It’s what keeps me sane. Xiamen is so interesting, because you’ll be in the middle of the city, and suddenly the regular sidewalk ends, and a beautiful park appears – like Central Park in NY. This photo is looking back toward the buildings of the city from just inside the park.
A paved path runs all the way around the park, providing a place for runners, walkers and cyclists.
It felt so good to walk on the grass, feel the textures beneath my feet, and smell the trees and plants. I took deep breaths and offered a prayer of thanks for the beauty that surrounded me.
The sand around the inlet was full of small shells, and I picked out a few to take home as a reminder.
I watched little children playing, digging, running and laughing. This was their place to feel free, too.
As I walked the grounds, I thought about how important it is to allow ourselves to take the time to feel grounded. It’s so easy to get lost in the hustle of life, that we forget to take care of ourselves, and to be our authentic selves.
I love travel. I love to see the world and learn about different cultures and traditions, and I love learning from people who live so differently from what I’m accustomed to. I believe we have so much to learn from each other. The thought of living in one spot permanently is not appealing to Danny nor I, which is such a foreign thought to many. Neither is better than the other, just different.
Some people thrive in the city, while others are happy by the sea. The diversity is what make it all balanced and functional. As for me, a simple flower. hand full of shells and my bare feet in the sand, is what makes all the difference in the world…and of course my sweet husband to remind me once in a while.
Life is good, and I have much to be grateful for.
Adventures of a Tribe 