Ah me. It's a sunny yet blustery day in this little corner of south Florida, a chilly 55 degrees (slightly stretched use of the word chilly here), with winds at 17 mph, gusting to 23! Not the most ideal day to lounge in a chair on the patio and finish Julia Child's "My Life in France," but it is, after all, only a week until my sister-in-law's wedding day, and if I'm going to stand beside four other spray-tanned ladies, then 55 degrees just became perfect sunning weather.
So after my wonderful husband went off to work today, I donned a black ruffled strapless bikini top and my cozy blue polka dot fleece P.J. pants, rolled above my knees, grabbed a blanket and Julia, and flew to France for a while, courtesy of air imagination. Of course I had to rotate the blanketed chair to where the sun was perfectly shining. I have no desire to be shaded by our screened porch's skeleton today! Absolute sunlight. Charming book. I consumed the last few chapters as my coconut-coated skin soaked up some greatly needed vitamin D.
So after my wonderful husband went off to work today, I donned a black ruffled strapless bikini top and my cozy blue polka dot fleece P.J. pants, rolled above my knees, grabbed a blanket and Julia, and flew to France for a while, courtesy of air imagination. Of course I had to rotate the blanketed chair to where the sun was perfectly shining. I have no desire to be shaded by our screened porch's skeleton today! Absolute sunlight. Charming book. I consumed the last few chapters as my coconut-coated skin soaked up some greatly needed vitamin D.
When Julia described returning to their retreat in Marseilles, I couldn't help but reminisce about our first few weeks in St. John:
"...once we settled into our satisfying little house there was no question, we'd stay put. Our zest was worn out. We needed to be incognito, do nothing but sleep late, eat well, and enjoy the sound of the cuckoos and the smells of the countryside. But we were so keyed up that it took at least a week to adjust to our peaceful surroundings."
"...once we settled into our satisfying little house there was no question, we'd stay put. Our zest was worn out. We needed to be incognito, do nothing but sleep late, eat well, and enjoy the sound of the cuckoos and the smells of the countryside. But we were so keyed up that it took at least a week to adjust to our peaceful surroundings."
- Julia Child, My Life in France Pg. 285 (Knopf)
It's so true that there is an undoing process that happens as one adjusts to the island life. It goes unnoticed in the city, but sometimes all that energy and traffic translate into stress and impatience. The country or island lifestyle is so much slower paced, one is naturally unwound to an easy, peaceful mood. How I miss that feeling when my days get hectic with "important" errands!
I would love to return to the islands someday, and stay in the cabins at Maho Bay, spending nights eating freshly barbecued chicken or taking pottery throwing lessons, spending days in the soft sand and calm water, a shade of blue that cannot be contained in a photograph; it must be experienced, taken in with the spirit through those trusty - or not so trusty! - windows to the soul.
I would love to return to the islands someday, and stay in the cabins at Maho Bay, spending nights eating freshly barbecued chicken or taking pottery throwing lessons, spending days in the soft sand and calm water, a shade of blue that cannot be contained in a photograph; it must be experienced, taken in with the spirit through those trusty - or not so trusty! - windows to the soul.
A dear friend of mine reminded me just yesterday, that the most peaceful moments are found in nature, be it on a cozy chair drinking tea, or walking at the seashore... God is there, in those moments. It is His peace that envelopes us through the glorious beauty that man tries so hard to cover, contain or kill. But it is still there, outside our fenced houses, in quiet, colorful solitude. It waits for us to discover and find pleasure in its beauty. What a nice thing to remember as - for once - I slowed down to rest my body and mind. This is the life simple. The life lovely. The life beautiful.
The End
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