WHEN YOU'RE IN THE PIT, PLAY IN THE SAND

Very seldom do I have the pleasure of sitting outdoors as the sun wakes up because I live in a basement apartment. But this morning I had the luxury of sipping hot coffee with a dog in my lap, as I watched the sun struggle to rise through breaking clouds. 

The hum of air conditioners, the hiss of sprinklers, the roar of traffic. The cost of living in the city. But there were other things, too. The beauty of bird song. Rays of sunshine rising through the early morning cumulus cover. Squirrels chasing each other through the trees. 

Somewhere along the line of years stacking up behind me, I've found joy in the simple things. 

I've been a bit depressed lately. I think a number of us are. I feel tossed around by rising crime rates, belittled by those who claim Coronavirus is a hoax, and agitated that I am smiling at strangers from behind a mask. 

I know I'm not the only one. 

Sharing these feelings with my daughter the other day, she said she could envision me in the pits, but happily playing in the sand.

I was reminded of going to the beach the first time with my grandson. He wasn't a fan of the ocean, but he LOVED playing in the sand. He would get his feet wet just so the sand would stick to them when he ran away from the water. He would dig through the top layer on the warm, dry beach, just to get to the sticky mucky stuff. He loved just running around with handfuls of it as made his way back to the water to throw it in, while he got his feet wet, so he could get them covered in more warm sand, to come back up and dig for more wet sand. And he would laugh and laugh. 

So his mom and I dug him a pit. We built a mote around it so we could siphon just enough water into it from the tide's gentle ebb and flow to keep him playing happily in his swimming hole. And all of his playing led him to getting up, out of the pit and playing and running joyfully toward a bigger, vaster body of water. 

©CherieElainePhotography2020

When you're in the pit, play in the sand! 

God says do the right things in the little things and then He'll start letting us do some of the big things. Practicing in the pit makes the ocean less scary. And the fun of getting over that fear is pure joy. And that's worth it. 

©CherieElainePhotography2020

So right now, while creativity might be running dry, I'm going to be content playing right here, in the murky stuff. I'm going to enjoy the simple things, like having time to watch the mornings unfold from my landlord's porch. I am going to listen to birds singing through the sound of the city. I am going to watch the sun struggle to shine light on the morning as it wades through clouds to make its appearance. 

Until we can all come out and play together, I'm sending tons of love your way. 

Hugs.