Why not?

When I got out to this beach, I stood out on the rocks on shore and shot a few pictures. Jess said, "Why don't you go out there? I'll get some pics of you climbing on the rocks." Yeah, why not? I little dangerous, but totally adventurous... sounds great!! As I was climbing out there, the waves coming in were larger than the last. Jess was yelling at me to turn around, didn't happen with how loud it was out there with the waves crashing up on the rocks. I was scared for about 2 seconds, then thought the worst thing that could happen was a wave totally overtaking me and washing me up to shore on top of a soggy car ride home. Besides, there was a guy surfing not too far from where I was hiking. What a rush! Part of me really wanted to feel a wave wash over me, to feel how powerful the water could be.

There's loads more to see on the rocky shores. This is from the same coast I was rock climbing on. It's not all to often you find all this neatness in one location... that's called nature. It's amazing. Think about it. How easy would it have been for me just to continue to stand on that shore and shot pictures. Why not get out there and explore it? I would have missed this pocket of sea creatures if I didn't put down my camera and take it in for myself. Just to be fully present and in tune with where I was, not only physically, but mentally.

Get out and see the world around you. Sure, you're thinking easy to say for you, Emily, you are in Australia. Yeah, everything is new and beautiful here, but it makes me think of how different and wonderful my home is in the Midwest. Some people out here probably take for granted the panoramic ocean views and sounds of waves crashing on rocks, just like I sometimes take for granted the gentle rolling fields of golden wheat and the smell of fresh cut hay.

Try being fully present to where you are. Ditch your cell phone for a day. Go outside, run around, climb things, look around. If I am doing it for half the summer, you can surely handle it for 1 day. Why not?