I walk towards the beach with the assuredness of someone who’d spent their whole life catching sunsets—and the saunter of spending the last five years longing for them.¹
My usual seat, the lifeguard tower, is taken
Sitting in the sand.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Taking in the ocean that raised me.
What a miracle.
Sensing the presence of someone to the right of me.
We catch each other's eyes and beam.
Amidst the chaos of bodies and phones around us, we seem to be in rhythm.
Enjoying each other without words.
Post-sunset. My favorite part. Tangerine sky.
I slowly pick myself up to leave.
Satiated.
The person strides towards me.
He’s emanating joy.
We talk.
He’s from the Midwest, visiting.
His first time at the Pacific Ocean. First sunset here.
Fresh eyes. The best.
The conversation deepens.
What he’s doing with his life right now. Just quit his job teaching. Taking a leap of faith.
Supporting kids growing up in unspeakable difficulty, beyond the education system. Passion ripples from his skin.
What I do for work. Why I’m visiting. My Nonna is old. I don’t know how much time we have.
His interest piques when he hears about my made-up job.
He has a volunteer opportunity.
I listen. Immediate waves of resonance.
We exchange numbers, hug, and say goodbye.
Weeks later.
Pacific Northwest. Autumn magic.
Early evening. Sky is dark.
I log into the Zoom call.
Tiny squares filled with the face of my new friend—and children.
I sit and listen earnestly.
He introduces me.
I talk about the whole system connection—mind, body, energy—in an easy-to-digest way.
They hang on my every word.
Walking them through simple energy work practices.
They drop into each practice with unparalleled ease. No barrier to entry.
Some smile softly. Some lie down and fall asleep. Some are eager to learn more.
I open the floor for shares and questions.
They see the immediate applicability.
“This will help when my house is filled with yelling.”
“I want to show this to my Dad. He’s made bad decisions, but he isn’t a bad person.”
“I see who I am. I am not the situation I come from.”
Tears roll down my cheeks.
Fulfillment beyond words.
More of this, please.²
I pray.
