Rescue Yourself

Relax, Relate, Release

I take vacations very seriously. It is my intentional effort to escape the life that very often feels as if it is attempting to swallow me whole. My vacations happen twice a year and require extensive financial and logistical planning to be successful. I am mindful that throughout the year I may need to take less costly mini sabbaticals to maintain the highest capacity of my mind.

I often have to get out of my own head to be ready for the next challenge of life. Sometimes the thoughts and feelings inside of me are so overwhelming and powerful when I have been rescued from it, through prayer or surrender, I don’t even immediately recognize that I have been rescued.

“Rescue yourself and be okay with what that feels like especially if it means you have to move away from everything you have ever known.” 2brealpbd

This year I continued a tradition I began 40 years ago at Martha’s Vineyard. One of the most majestic experiences I ever had was wandering the Oak Bluff community in the rain. Since then whenever it rains during my vacation, especially when I’m at OB, I enjoy walking in the rain. Sometimes I need to drive around during the storm at my happy place this year was no exception and was made extra special because I was joined by dear friends. Some of my oldest friends came together for the momentous occasion and to celebrate my birthday. One of my friends has experienced miraculous healing and has already used the image I had taken to share in this post. I’m using it anyway because when it’s good and right, my philosophy is to use it twice.

Four of us drove around singing and praising God for his goodness while witnessing his incomparable power in the surge of the Atlantic Ocean onto the rocks. We were compelled to get out in it and shout Hallelujah.

I had actually been rescued here years ago. I was invited to that same place to receive clarity and to revive my spirit and in the moment 40 years later I realized how phenomenal the entire event was. How I got to this point is definitely miraculous. In that moment, through salty tears and mist from the ocean, there was a genuine moment of surrender and acceptance of peace and a stillness that is without words to explain.

Although the picture was taken and the rain commenced, we each had our own experience. My girlfriend shared that she too had that overwhelming sensation of surrender and gratitude. Words will never be fully capable of capturing the feeling, but it remains with me as I write weeks later.

This experience was made even more special because I was able to be vulnerable with my friends present. Vulnerability is empowering in and of itself. Feeling safe enough to release in that way with close friend is not something I experience often and treasure the few times it has occurred. Brene Brown has captured the essence of the feeling:

“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.” — Daring Greatly, Brene Brown.

The other way I was able to celebrate all that life has shared with me on the island is by being aware of the nature, the flora and fauna was also nourished and awakened through the rain and storm. The same cleansing that refreshed me at that moment would serve to replenish the beauty of nature around me during the weeks to come. I know that I am surrounded by beauty every day and am often too consumed in myself to acknowledge it at all. I intentionally took those pictures to remind myself that what I’m trying to manage is already taken care of.

Being present and being able to go back in my mind to restart when I hit a wall in my day or struggle with life is the point of vacation for me. The effort helps me manage the madness for the rest of the year. Taking a break is one way to rescue yourself from the day-to-day challenges of life.