When city life gets tough - daydream.

sea snail on bladderwrack, originally uploaded by Oceanwood.

When the grind of city noise and speed start to erode my sense of well-being, I find it is time for a sentimental daydream. I suppose I could go for one of those Grand Dreams of becoming rich and famous, or embarking on a round the world trip, or envisioning how clean and tidy my house could be if I dedicated a serious bit of time to the task. But those seemingly impossible-to-obtain daydreams don't transport me out of the hustle and bustle of city life.

My daydreams -- the ones that really pour therapeutic ointment on the "blisters" I get as I rub up against traffic, concrete, and deadlines -- need to be tiny, perfect, little moments in my memory -- like this little snail I observed one day at low tide. It was one of the first warm days of Spring; and the seaweed was absolutely fresh and glistening in the almost setting sun. Heron and gulls occasionally flew by. It was a quiet moment. The ferry was across the sound. There was only a slight wisp of a breeze. The ocean barely made a sound as it kissed the shore.

And right there -- right on the seaweed in front of my foot -- was this little world of sea life. Many tiny snails slid across huge-for-them bladderwrack pillows. And in particular, this little snail caught my attention and posed for a photo. It was so small that I could not bend down far enough to see its body outside the shell. I needed to see this photo before I could really see the tiny creature. Now looking at the photo I am there --back on the beach -- once again receiving the gifts of the Ocean's tidal abundance, the Air's gentle salty fragrance, the Sun's enchanting sparkle and warmth, and the Shore's peaceful, rocky presence.

Of course, I plan on continuing to cultivate and perfect my Grand Dreams of what accomplishments and treasures this Life could have in store for for me. But when I need to heal my body's city-weary aches and disconnection from Nature, I will set aside the Grand Ideas and, instead, reach for a tiny, little daydream to soothe my Soul.

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Photo credits: Photos by Jessica at Oceanwood.

Oceanwood Chronicles, copyright 2008 - Jessica at Oceanwood. Creative commons attribution, non-commercial sharing only (translation: feel free to quote me in context or use this entry but please always credit me for my work, thanks.) http://oceanwood.blogspot.com/