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Writer's picturejoehehn

This is Love

I was having an okay day, nothing too bad and nothing too special about it. I chatted with a friend via Skype for a bit and I just felt this irritability sweep over me…I felt annoyed and a bit frustrated…I just couldn’t for the life of me figure out why. It was unsettling and I tried to focus on moving this emotion of slight anger as it was controlling me and not the other way around. I meditated but to no avail…I decided some beach therapy might do the trick so I headed on over and as my toes became engulfed in sand…my steps sinking down into the coldness below, I spoke to Jessica like she was right behind me. “Honey, I’m feeling quite frustrated and irritated right now and I don’t know why…and I can’t shake it for some reason. Jess, can you please send me a sign or help me out in some way as to alleviate this feeling? Please baby whatever you can do, I love you.” I looked up and saw an older Tico smiling at me as I think he knew I was praying out loud, I smiled back, nodded my head giving the local salute “Pura Vida”.



As I continued my stroll down the beach scouting out spots I found a decent location and settled in. There was a younger group not too far away. And as soon as I was all laid out, book in hand…they started to play music…for which I didn’t take a liking to in that moment. I had been at this same beach every day for almost two weeks and this is the first time I have heard people playing music…I was there to relax, pray & meditate and they were there to party, and good for them…but my irritability was on the rise…so I decided to take a run instead. I stretched for a bit and then walked to the water…all the while the same song was playing, I think it was Britney Spears’s “Womanizer” (insert gross sound effect here). I’m staring, as best I can, at the sun and the surrounding area…just trying to release this unwanted tension…but still without success when suddenly the song fades out and another one begins. Bob Marley’s “Is This Love”…our wedding song. I felt the build up of undesired emotions release through my body…like the negative energy was streaming out of my fingertips and into the ocean waves crashing around my feet. I smiled knowing she had once again answered my request. I began to sing along as I embarked on my beachside trot. I run barefoot on the beach as it suits me best and I quite enjoy running without shoes…it’s very freeing. I quickly make it all the way down to one side and as I am about to turn around and head back the other direction I notice a little path I’ve never seen before. Just getting there meant walking over thousands of rocks and broken seashells…but I figure I can take my time and get through the mini journey slowly, taking my time. I’m still singing our song in my head…“We’ll share the shelter, of my single bed…” I make it through the first part and so I continue through the jagged terrain to the beginning of the path leading up a hillside, about 70 feet or so..but yet again it’s all loose gravel, shells and others materials capable of leaving their mark. It took me probably at least ten times longer to climb this little hill without shoes but it truly made me appreciate the journey even more…each step perfectly placed…at first stepping down with half of my normal pressure and then gradually increasing it until I was ready for the next step…using my hands to steady myself and pull on branches, grass and stones shooting up from the path…enjoying the challenge and of course still singing…“We’ll be together, yeah! With a roof right over our heads…We’ll share the shelter, yeah, oh now! of my single bed…” I finally make it to what I thought was the top but the path continued, not as steep as the one I just conquered but still challenging…this one was very narrow and as I came upon the crest I noticed this hill was the divide between two beaches…the view was almost too much to take in. I walked a bit further until I could go no more and stood for awhile. The wind picked up quite a bit now and the trail was so narrow…just wide enough for my feet to be standing shoulder width apart…the wind now making me question my own balance and core as I peer down the rocky wall on the left, facing the soon to be setting sun and I’m 80 feet up with only rock to cushion an unexpected trip down…and to my right I’m almost as high but with trees and the beach awaiting below…so I decide to sit and secure my body between these two amazing beaches. I close my eyes and let the breeze swish around my hair…concentrating on my therapeutic breathing…10 seconds inhaling…14 seconds exhaling…now humming and singing in my head…“Is this love, is this love, is this love…Is this love that I’m feelin…” and I exhale again…slowly…10,11,12,13,14…yes…yes this is love that I’m feelin…

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