Gift From the Sea

I just returned from a week by myself at the ocean. I got the idea from my best friend who has done the same many times. She was my travel agent! I've always had a need for occasional solitude to "recharge", and a week of watching sunrises and sunsets on the ocean was perfect. Great time to go also as there were very few tourists and lodging rates were half price.

A friend was at my house last night and she said my trip was "So Anne Morrow Lindbergh!". I smiled and showed her the book she was referring to, the inscribed book my daughter gave me as a gift before I left "Gift From the Sea". The book was written by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (of the Lindbergh kidnapping)about the need for women to carve out time for solitude. Anne took an annual week for herself by the sea too when she was raising her five children. I've since learned the book is a favorite of many women.

A quote from the book is "...I want first of all...to be at peace with myself. I want a singleness of eye, a purity of intention, a central core to my life that will enable me to carry out these obligations and activities as well as I can....I would like to achieve a state of inner spiritual grace from which I could function and give as I was meant to in the eye of God..."



My husband and I and our two daughters almost always do an annual family vacation. I truly value the uninterrupted family time, just the four of us. But I think I might do as Anne now and also take a solo trip to the sea every year...I'm sure it will make me a better wife, mother, nurse and cancer advocate. Several friends have told me my trip was a good example for my daughters...maybe it will give them permission to take care of themselves someday when they are adults raising families. Maybe men figured this out awhile ago and it's why many do annual wilderness hunting and fishing retreats? My mother-in-law said she wishes she had done a trip like mine when she was raising her kids, she said it was a great idea.

I did go out twice on chartered boats, once to Shell Island (if I go back I may take a tent and stay on the undeveloped island for a few days) and deep sea fishing for several hours (I love to fish and haven't in about a decade). I also walked about 20 miles and spent a day at a state park reading Anne's book.

I was very blessed to be able to take the trip. I slept every night with an ocean breeze over my bed listening to waves. Heavenly.... I truly came back recharged.

My next post will be what I want to tell about my latest advocacy venture!