Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning were beautiful and perfect sunny days on the beach at Cool Runnings Lodge in Senga Bay. Now, I could spend time describing the quaint lodge and its sandy beach, our leisurely swims in the Lake, or even the delicious food we ate (grilled cheese (CHEESE!) with bacon and avocado for lunch, as just an example), but although it is kinda cheesy, I want to try something different for this post:
During meditation and relaxation exercises we are often told to “picture our beach.” Well, I’ve found my beach. I can’t think of a place more intricately breath-taking and relaxing than the scene I experienced this weekend and I want to describe it to you, so maybe, if you need it, you can make it your beach. A picture just wouldn’t do it justice (and I’m not convinced my words do either…)
Imagine a soft, padded, immeasurably comfortable lounge chair. I lay in the cool and breezy shade of a very large tree under a canopy of huge, beautiful, green, feathery leaves. Scattered among the giant leaves are large, brown, banana-like seed pods. Peaking between each feather and seed pod is the bright African sun. Looking forward, passed the shade, across the sandy beach and the clear blue water of Lake Malawi, passed the rocky white and bushy green Lizard Island, you see miles into the distance rolling rounded mountains on the opposite Lake coast lining the horizon. Above these mountains are crazy and intricate white cloud formations silhouetted by the bright blue sky.
Looking down the coast to my right, I see crowds of Malawians bathing and washing clothes at the water’s edge. Women are bent over the washing buckets with half-naked children playing nearby. Way down the coast you can see dark storm clouds forming, with scattered flashes of lightning. Maybe you even hear the faint rumble of far-off thunder. It seems very odd, considering the bright sunny sky above me. Its almost like all of my worries and concerns put far-off, but from a distance, even they look beautiful. The distant storm doesn’t appear ominous or concerning, it just exists and is beautiful.
Down the coast to my left, I can see hundreds of fishing boats, some anchored at various distances, some pulled ashore. The beach itself is cluttered with giant, parachute-like fishing nets, and its edge lined with small thatch huts, bordering the lush forest just beyond the coast. People weave among the fishing boats on the beach and cast lines
Breathe in the beauty! Listen to the laughter of Malawian children splashing in the water and the faint distant thunder. Feel the cool breeze. Maybe a small butterfly flutters by. Breathe out and smile!
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