Floating In A Sea Of…..

If you are anything like me, you are probably feeling more stressed out than normal. Reading the news is enough to make anyone depressed,afraid, and hopeless.

“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”-Krishnamurti

When I feel really stressed out, I know I need to spend more time in nature. It is the best way to connect to the Divine, and get a real boost of healing energy. I feel closest to God when I am camping. 🙂

We went camping in the Florida Keys this weekend. We camped at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and snorkeled pretty much all day Saturday, and all morning on Sunday.

Snorkeling at Cannon Beach, Key Largo

Sunday afternoon, we drove further south, down to Islamorada for a picnic lunch and a swim. If you know the Florida Keys, you know in summer time, the water is warm, like a bath.  It was sunny. It was bright.It was HOT.  According to my phone it was 94 degrees but with the humidity, it felt like 110. 

At midday, the sun’s rays were extra intense,  so I found a place for us to have a picnic in the shade. I looked down at the water by the shoreline and instantly felt depressed and angry. There was garbage everywhere floating in the water. There was garbage in the bushes too.

How is this for a Florida Keys Postcard?

There literally was trash everywhere!! But it was the only area with shade, so we sat down, made sandwiches and ate them quietly as we looked at the trash bobbing around the water.  It was hard to eat my almond butter sandwich because the garbage was so upsetting.  I kept shaking my head wondering “who does this?”  

Feeling upset and grossed out,  I walked out onto a limb of a tree and looked around. Just beyond the trash, was clear, beautiful, blue water. I saw small fish swimming around. I knew the plastic could easily end up in the belly of a sea turtle, a fish, a shark, or a bird. I argued with myself that “I didn’t create that mess, so why should I touch it or get involved”. But I realized that the tree I was standing on, also didn’t create that mess, a mess that was  choking it. The animals that live there and depend on the ocean didn’t make that mess either, but they are now forced to swim in it.. Seriously, can you imagine, floating in a sea of trash?

With that, I jumped in the knee deep water and fished out a plastic bag.  I began cleaning. My son joined in and within 20 minutes, the area was so much cleaner. It was beautiful. Amazingly, (sarcasm) there was a garbage can less that twenty feet away.

However minor our impact was, we made an impact. We felt good. We were working to heal the Earth, not harm her.

The Tree- (After We Picked Up Garbage)

 

We jumped in the water to cleanse and cool off. And the ocean seemed to bless us with a particularly magical swimming session….

Sea Blessings

 

I keep thinking of that experience as a big lesson. It applies to all aspects of our lives.. There are many messes in the world right now, that maybe we didn’t make, and maybe we try to argue that “it wasn’t our fault.” but regardless of who is to blame, these messes are here, and if we truly want to make changes, we have to do something.

 

I prefer floating in a healthy, happy sea ~Tiff

Yoga Dance

Dance With Yoga Asana. I choreographed and performed this a couple of days ago. It was a lot of fun and very healing. Feeling that creative energy flowing. Excited to put on a show! I hope to write and dance more soon. ❤

Tiff

Say I Do…..

A few nights ago, while we were in St Augustine, we witnessed, actually we were a part of something so sweet and beautiful. We were wandering around, enjoying the crisp weather of north Florida, the art galleries, and the old buildings..   when something so unexpected happened, something that still makes me smile. 

Downtown St Augustine is old. The city is haunted, and has a very painful and dark history. But there is something there that I am drawn to, and always have been. In the center of the downtown, is a park. A park that was once the location of the slave market. Today, it is a well used and much loved park busy with tourists. Adding to the beauty, for the holidays, there are lights strung all around the park.

Anyways, my daughter was running around, laughing, enjoying her freedom, when I noticed a young attractive couple trying to prop their phone against a railing to take a photo. I offered to take their picture. I snapped some photos, we exchanged smiles, and then they offered to take our picture.

The sweet couple took our picture, we said thank you, I started to turn away, and then the young man said “Sorry, but will you take another photo of us? The photos turned out blurry.”  I was a little confused, because I knew at least a few of the photos turned out nice, but I happily agreed.

As soon as I positioned the camera, he got down on one knee, pulled out a ring, and asked his beautiful girlfriend if she would marry him. I was smiling from ear to ear, snapping photos, shocked to be witnessing something so beautiful. LOVE. She was crying, in complete shock. She said “YES!!” They hugged and a huge crowd gathered around and started clapping and cheering. I was nearly crying. Everyone felt this strong, happy, magical energy of love.

I congratulated them, gave them back their camera, and we slowly walked away. My son had also snapped pictures of the couple, and he ran over to them, got their email address, and sent them their magical moment caught on camera.

So, to the beautiful couple, recently engaged, thank you. You made our night so special, full of the magic of love, and I wish you every happiness in the world.

Blessings~Tiff

Protected By Angels

The moon is rising as I write these words.. Something so incredible and frightening just happened, and it can be nothing but a miracle. Magic.

My Beautiful Magical Daughter..

My daughter, Luna and I were just outside enjoying this special full moon day. We picked out magical wands, (special sticks), and I made up some weird songs about the moon rising and the sun saying goodnight.. We sang and danced while holding our sticks and laughing.

I started watering some trees we just planting. Luna was close by,  she was exploring, picking up pine cones, singing, and swinging her wand. She was having fun. She walked over to an outdoor solar powered light and grabbed it and started shaking it.  She was only about 15 feet away from me.  I noticed a bunch of bugs flying around her. Thinking little of it, I laughed and told her to come back, but she just kept laughing and singing and shaking the light. I walked closer to her, when in shock and total horror, I realized she was surrounded by  WASPS. She had disturbed a wasp nest that was inside the solar light, and there were about 20 wasps  (or more) flying around her.  She was oblivious to the danger. She was having fun, she was singing, and laughing ,and they were buzzing. Literally circling her.

I quickly but calmly, picked her up and slowly backed away from the nest. I am still in shock and disbelief.She did not get stung. She must have had an angel protecting her.  My sweetheart believes it was his little brother (who died many years ago), looking out for Luna. I just know, I will remember that image of my daughter smiling, surrounded by wasps, fully protected by some sort of magical force, and I will remember to believe. There is so much we can’t see.  So much we don’t understand.  I am so grateful.

Happy Full Moon.. Honor the Magic~Tiff