Day 56: Hurry up and rest…

 

It is a rest day!!!!  I have to say, I absolutely love these days!  I get the privilege to start my early morning with a hard and fast run and enjoy a sunrise on the cool down walk home.  Next stop is a refreshingly cool shower and my grey summer robe, some delish coffee and time on the patio to sit and think… about everything and nothing at all.

Today, I thought to make a list of the things that awaken my senses and give me that undeniable feeling of sheer pleasure that you wish would last forever but alas, only seconds go by…

-The endorphins after a good run. Really? These little babies should be illegal in the contiguous 48 states because they can lead to so many good and pleasurable things. I think I need not list their provocation.

-My runners… those running shoes make me fly! The feeling of running is sheer pleasure unto itself… the wind through my hair, my skin glistening after a hard run, opening my lungs and working my breathing, the burning in my quads, hammys and glutes, my favorite running tank that feels like silk against my skin and weighs close to nothing, my running music playlist that inspires and motivates me to run like the wind… the result: One happy girl!

-Wearing my favorite flirty skirt that sits just above my knee and gently swings as I walk. I feel like a ballet dancer with delicate moves, and feminine lines accentuated by the A-line cut and a feeling of graceful freedom that makes me want to pirouette when I walk.

-My pair of black sling back sandals and a new pedicure… what’s not to like about accentuating the toes that help me fly like the wind?

-The beach candle I light only on occasion that leaves the room with a soft coconut, vanilla and sandalwood fragrance that reminds me of a mixture of the scent of suntan lotion and soft beach scents… All I want to do is melt into bed and let my mind drift away…

-The first couple licks of a vanilla ice cream cone that has been dipped in a hard-shell chocolate coating. That first bite of the chocolate as it melts in your mouth and you taste the rich cocoa flavor and that sugary sweetness that teases your tongue and releases that serotonin that sends you to that happy place where anything is possible. But then to indulge in those long licks of vanilla ice cream so rich and creamy that only a little is more than enough… the two are sheer bliss. If the entire cone were to be indulged in, one might actually reach the state of nirvana!

-The sound of the early morning as it greets you from a night of peaceful slumber… the birds as they sing to each other, the breeze as it glides over your naked skin, the sun as it kisses your cheeks, that morning scent of flowers blooming by the window, a mixture of bliss that only the earth can provide and we decide to lay in bed for just a couple extra minute to bask in the glory.

-A glazed doughnut that I would only indulge in but once or twice a year, just enough to satiate my craving but not too much to allow myself to fall in love. I can’t even think about that first bite, because it will lead to thoughts of second bite and I will for sure want more… yes, a doughnut, so dense and sweet, where every calorie is worth the indulgence.

-New delicates of the black color kind with just a touch of lace that when you wear them you see yourself feeling so seductive and sexy that you have trouble not indulging in some private play time… and although they may be pricey they are an investment that always rewards with that unmistakable shivering sensation that so often leads to a smile.

-The ocean and the beach…. To feel the soft, cool sand between your toes, to taste the salty air, to hear the waves as they roll through with that reliable rhythm, to find those delicate shells that rarely survive their journey on shore, the view that lends the inspiration of what dreams are made of and futures hold. Yes, the ocean, that healing effect that makes the stresses of life drift away and opens our minds to the possibilities of what we can do, who we can become, realizing what truly makes us happy and resets our compass to show us the way.

On this rest day, I gave myself permission to remind myself of the things that gift me the sense of sheer bliss in an otherwise busy life. To think about the things that electrify my senses, make me shiver with pleasure and lead me to stay in bed for just a couple extra minutes while the rest of the world wakes up from their slumber.

Today, I shared the with the world a few of the secret treasures that gift me with sheer pleasure, but remind me that just a little is sometimes more than enough… Wondering what tomorrow will bring…