Coasting on the Coast
I’m not a hustler. I’m not hustling. I’m not a boss babe. I’m not a mom-entrepreneur. I’m not crushing goals and achieving my dreams. I am coasting. I am living my best life that I didn’t work for, didn’t plan for, didn’t carve out, but my best life because it is my life that I am allowed the opportunity to enjoy fully on a daily basis.
I live on the coast and I have reached the part of my life where I just coast. I am not climbing hills or mountains, I am not reaching for the stars, I am not conquering or seizing the day. I am enjoying life daily, all the small things, all the slow and savory and sweet things, all the things I miss when I am focused and driven. I am enjoying the ride, enjoying the peace, enjoying the fragrant smell of salt air and hibiscus flowers.
I invite you into my life, not because it is amazing, exciting or fantastic, but because it is calm, relaxed and peaceful. Have a slice of tranquility pie on a lazy summer day on a screened in back porch or a sip of contentment tea on a Saturday morning when everyone is sound asleep and the house is quiet and still.
I’m all about enjoying the day every day.I’m about being happy, feeling so full of peace I have to smile just to let some of it out, laughing because life is so delicious it makes me feel as giddy as a small child getting a free cookie from the grocery store bakery. I’m about finding joy in all circumstances and situations, especially the really scary and frightening ones. Life often offers moments of fear and incomprehensible tragedies for each of us, but knowing how to maintain or regain peace through those times is a skill that affords and allows me to live a life all about coasting.
I spend my days writing (obviously), reading, enjoying all the beach has to offer, the nature of tropical Florida, the diversity of the intercoastal waterways and meeting up with friends to enjoy conversations, sports, activities and spending time together. I also spend time with my husband and grown sons discussing a myriad of topics, cooking together, shopping for supplies and treasures, and tackling all the obstacles that life throws at us.
Gone are the days of busyness: play dates, school schedules, sports practices, birthday parties, endless chores and meals, overwhelming must haves and bills, navigating three individuals through the ups and downs of childhood and teenage years, attempting to carve out time for my marriage, for my husband, for myself while mainly failing to accomplish those goals most months. So much failure so much of the time, that taking on new responsibilities just felt irresponsible, yes, those days are gone. Time passed. We all grew up and life did its best to suppress that growth, but we kept getting up and doing it again and again and again in a never ending loop of fear, boredom and failure that finally worked. Yes, it does really work. Yes, we finally found our groove, our pace, and savored that first piece of tranquility pie and sip of contentment tea.
I’m not coasting because I never did anything ever, no, I’m coasting because I got to that place where I get to enjoy life, enjoy the fruits of my labor, enjoy all the savory and sweet things in my life, enjoy the freedom that comes when life is simple, pure and satisfying. Will this time last forever? Probably not. But I don’t worry about it because I am enjoying today. Every day. Coasting on the coast.
