Tranquility

"The pursuit, even of the best things, ought to be calm and tranquil."

Marcus Tullius Cicero

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I closed my eyes, not to block out the view; it was simply stunning. I wanted to hear the waves, to have them wash over my consciousness as they did the rocks in the cove; the sounds smoothed out the edges of my mind and soul even as the waves turned jagged rock smooth with it's perpetual motion. The sounds of breaking waves knocked off the sharp edges within and the fizzling sounds of sea-foam pushing up the beach around the smooth stones melted away the stress. I felt at home, I felt relaxed; I'd found tranquility.

My eyes slowly opened and the vista before me assaulted my senses. A deep blue ocean, white-capped waves of blues and green and a sky so clear and blue it seemed I could get lost if I stared to long. The cove curved away right and left, a haphazard rocky beach of sea-worn rocks and pebbles, tidal pools interspersed by sandy patches and the occasional tuft of hardy grass somehow surviving against the odds.

I sat, my back leaning against a smooth boulder, basking in the sun on what was a reasonably cool day; the breeze struggled to reach me there but the occasional breath brought with it the scent of the see and rich earth and lush grasses from the rolling hills above me and over the cliffs.

I knew there were a few people above me on the coastal path but down here I was alone, the descent to the cove seemingly too difficult for most. I'd counted on being alone and I was pleased to be - I felt like the only person on the planet - I felt primal, a lone caveman.

I'd come to walk and think and both had occurred but right about then I was content to sit and absorb the tranquility of the moment both in the external world around me and the recess of my mind. It was a nice moment and place to be here at Petrel Cove.

I thought about the last week: I'd resigned from my job with no new job lined up and whilst that should have made me anxious I didn't feel that way - I had a feeling of peace, freedom and wonder; feelings that mirrored my surroundings and it felt good to be me.

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I don't always feel calm and tranquil - in truth I struggle to find that feeling - so welcome it when it comes. It fits me though, feels right. I've had a past one could call tumultuous at times and whilst I've been many things I've always been a man who seeks a feeling of peace, self-reflection and understanding. Feeling this way is conducive to better thought, better understanding of myself and better decisions come through that comprehension.

Sitting in that cove yesterday I was reminded of the quote above by Cicero and, as I embark on a new journey and walk paths that may lead me in new directions, I'll seek a calm and tranquil place within, a central point knowing my decisions will come from a place of internal-peace.