There are days when the waves pound on the shore with such force it pushes the sand up the beach to make a berm that is often several feet high. On those days, my walks are a bit more challenging.

It was my first day out in a new pair of tennis shoes. The tide appeared to be low so I jumped down the embankment to walk on the firm moist sand. As I turned the corner by a small hotel, a large wave rolled in and broke with more force than I had anticipated. White water rushed toward my new shoes.  It was clear that to stay dry, I was going to have to jump head first over the sand embankment into a crowd of tourists. I ran, leaped through the air, and landed face down on a woman’s towels. She had seen me coming and jumped out of the way. As I looked up, concerned about her reaction, she crossed her hands over my head like an umpire and yelled out my favorite four-letter word, “SAFE!”

The woman could have had many reactions to the same situation. Had she been put-off or angry (and justifiably so) we both would have had a memory of a bad experience. But instead, I get to keep this one. The best part about this story is that it happened over a year ago, and I can still remember every detail.

Reactions create memories.  Whenever possible, let’s make them good ones.

One Comment

  1. Doreen Villemaire September 27, 2017 at 5:46 PM

    Absolutely, it’s all a matter of perspective. Living from a place of joyful happiness gifts back many positive returns. My daily walk… Thank you for sharing this wonderful memory.

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