Having a bike in New York City really changes things. It’s nice to run errands without having to factor in at least two hours of my time. Everywhere I go is now tracked in miles instead of minutes. And when you factor in that the beach is only four miles south of where you live, life starts to feel a little bit better.
Needless to say, I’ve been to the beach a lot this week.
Most of my trips are congruent with morning bike rides. The days in New York City are too hot to really be outside, so I take an early morning ride down to the beach and spend at least 20 minutes sitting on a bench at Coney Island looking out at a mostly empty beach. If you’ve ever been to Coney Island during the summer, you know seeing this beach empty is a marvel.
I spend my time down there listening to the waves, watching the sunrise from the east, and praying about everything on my mind and heart. It feels a little bit like heaven on earth. Then after some time, I hop back on my bike, ride the four miles up to the apartment, and get ready for my workday.
Unless, of course, it’s the weekend. Then I’m making later trips to the beaches…and I’m bringing some drinks and snacks with me. And a good book. Or two.
Right now, I’m obsessing over hard kombucha. Usually, I love to mix up a margarita or grab an IPA and bring it to the beach, but with the weather being so hot, a kombucha feels like the right vibe. I’ve been sipping on Jiant Kombucha, and particularly a huge fan of their Grapefruit & Hibiscus flavor.
Anywho, this weekend (or maybe tomorrow morning) take a trip to the beach. Or if you’re not near the beach…take a trip to your happy place. The park. The forest. The mountains. The lake. Or maybe it’s just sitting on the patio in your backyard.
Wherever that space may be, force yourself to go. Sit and meditate. Pray. Slow down a bit. Don’t open up social media. Take a sip of your favorite summer drink. Enjoy the stillness. Because even though the world is crazy right now, there is still so much beauty we can enjoy right out our front doors.
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