Finding peace and gratitude wherever you can
Life ain't easy, people. There's always something to stress over. The worries start in the early years. Parents. Siblings. School. Friends. Boys/girls. As an adult it multiplies. Work. More work. MORE WORK! Spouses. Children. Did I mention work?
You turn on the news. It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat, Republican or Independent. You can be a liberal, a conservative or somewhere in between...there's at least one story that will ruin your day....and it occurs EVERY SINGLE DAY! It's a wonder the entire world isn't in a constantly pissed off state of mind....okay, maybe it is.
That's why you have to take the time to find some inner peace. It doesn't matter what you do or where you go to find it, just find it.
For me, it's always been about water. I have one location, in Chicago, where I'll sit on a bench and look out over the rocks at Lake Michigan. Sometimes I'll listen to music or read a book, but the water is always the main attraction.
I sit for an hour, stare out at the Lake, clear my head and am peace with the world. I grateful for the quiet. All is good until the next stressful event...which is probably minutes away.
As calming as the lake is, nothing compares to the ocean. Whenever I go to California, I have to spend time looking at the Pacific. Surprisingly, one of my favorite spots in the world is the Santa Monica Pier. Yeah, I know it's also one of the most touristy places on earth, but you can find a bench, look out at the water and ignore all of the noise. I can sit there and chill.
Monday, I did just that....for awhile.
I walked to the back of the pier to find a young man playing a distinctive orange Fender Stratocaster electric guitar. That's not unusual. You can find street musicians throughout the pier. Hell, you can find them throughout the Los Angeles area. He started with some Jazz and followed up with a couple of Jimi Hendrix songs. Listening to "Little Wing" while peering off at the water brought peace to my soul. I was in my happy zone. I wondered if the musician was in his?
During a break in the music, we had a short conversation. He told me he was from a country in East Africa. He came to the United States to escape the war and violence in his homeland. Like so many others, he was struggling to make it in America, but it was much better than where he was before. All he wanted to do was play his music for others. Thankfully, he could do that. He was grateful for to be here.
Before I walked away, I read his sign:
"Music gave me hope in times of war and hardship. I wish to bring HOPE & PEACE to others through my music."
His wish came true for me. I wish the same for him.
Related Post: Being grateful for the smallest things
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