Lake Lesson 1

It’s finally been hot enough to take my paddle board out of winter hibernation and reintroduce it to my love, the Lake. I waited for the morning after Memorial Day. My instincts were correct - the boaters who partied last night were still asleep, so I had the Lake to my self. 


The Lake, she was so still. After so many months apart, I didn’t know if I’d remember the nuances of getting on my board again. Gliding right onto the smooth surface, I stood up and paddled toward the wide open. What a relief, now more than ever - not only to have winter behind me, but to have time alone in nature - out of the confines of the house. 


The water was an expansive, unruffled sheet - so when I saw something glint in the sun, I paddled toward it out of curiosity. First a bobbing water bottle, then a torn pretzel bag. I paddled on and saw a total of three fish, belly-up. Something else in the distance caught my eye - it had a different texture. Hair. It was a bloated, dead rat. That was the big slap in the face to realize what I was doing. 


Here I was, with the intention of relaxing and enjoying nature - a long meditation - and I chose to look not only at garbage and dead things, but to grumble at the beep, beep, beeping of trucks backing up on shore. Just like my mind, sometimes. I set the scene of serenity and yet I’m drawn to things that distract me only to disappoint and drag me down - like negative thoughts or negative people, social media garbage and the news. Avoid, avoid, avoid. 


This lap around the lake reminded me that I always have a choice of what to focus on. I shifted my gaze to the reflections of the clouds shapeshifting on the water, a pair of ducks that came by to acknowledge me and the sound of water drip, drip, dripping from my paddle strokes. Now I was finally reconnecting with nature's lovely offerings that had been right there the whole time.  


I slowly made my way to my safe little inlet where I laid down on my board, savasana style.  My paddle, resting across my hips, I faced the sun and let my hands and feet dangle in the cold water. There, in those peaceful moments, I was lulled by the gentle rhythm of the Lake. She is wise, the Lake, giving me my first lesson of the summer. 




Beauty is Everywhere 


- Holly