{"id":6009,"date":"2012-02-10T06:00:38","date_gmt":"2012-02-10T14:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nerdseyeview.com\/blog\/?p=6009"},"modified":"2014-10-31T07:44:06","modified_gmt":"2014-10-31T14:44:06","slug":"guest-post-tranquility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nerdseyeview.com\/blog\/2012\/02\/10\/guest-post-tranquility\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: Tranquility"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Cannon<\/a><\/p>\n

Tranquility ~ the state of being free from commotion or disturbance; the absence of agitation<\/em><\/p>\n

The mere anticipation of being in my favorite hotel room overlooking Haystack Rock (which grows out of the Pacific in Cannon Beach, Oregon) triggers an impending sense of tranquility somewhere deep inside of me. Once there, the peacefulness in my soul is palpable.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been going to Cannon Beach for over thirty years \u2013 to veg out, to watch the water and the sun and the storms and to just simply marvel at the beauty of the place.\u00a0 It never grows old.\u00a0 It always seems both familiar and new.<\/p>\n

This December, it was a three day storm watcher.\u00a0 The sand ran down the beach and the rain blew sideways in sheets.\u00a0 The water roiled and thick mist floated from the wavetops.\u00a0 Groups of seagulls played in the wind \u2013 swooping, floating, hanging in the air like kites on a March afternoon. It looked like they were having a blast out there. A handful of hardy souls walked on the beach leaning back into the wind, hoods up and heads down.<\/p>\n

We watched from inside with a fire crackling, hot coffee, and books at hand.\u00a0 I had trouble keeping my nose in the book, choosing instead to just sit by the window and watch.\u00a0 Somewhere in my head is a childhood memory of a line that my mom used to say (variously attributed to Satchel Paige, Winnie the Pooh, and Pogo)\u2026\u201dSometimes I sits and thinks, but sometimes I just sits\u201d.\u00a0 And that\u2019s what I did for the better part of three days \u2013 just sat and watched, savoring the beauty of the beach and relishing the time to just sit.<\/p>\n

On the third morning, the rain and wind stopped for a while and folks magically appeared on the beach.\u00a0 Most of them had dogs with them.\u00a0 Dogs of all sizes and shapes \u2013 joyously running on the beach.\u00a0 Chasing balls and sticks, romping in the water, rolling in the sand, teasing new playmates.\u00a0 I love to see dogs at play and I am especially fond of watching them romp unrestrained on the beach.\u00a0 I know that they are experiencing their own\u00a0 version of dog tranquility \u2013 the absence of the agitation induced by a leash. Their rowdy exuberance is infectious.\u00a0 There is no better anti-depressant for me than a wet waggy greeting from a happy dog on the beach.<\/p>\n

The respite on the beach was brief. The wind and rain returned as quickly as they\u2019d stopped, and we were back inside with the fire and the coffee.\u00a0 And soon it was time to leave. I brought the tranquility home with me, though, and it will linger until the next time my spirit needs nourishing.\u00a0 When it does, I\u2019ll go back to the beach and just sit.<\/p>\n

Lynn Hancock is a retired teacher and elementary school principal.\u00a0 She is not a blogger, but is a regular reader of Nerd\u2019s Eye View and Road Notes, written by her son, Ben. Her husband is still working, but they travel whenever they can.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Photo: Cannon<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tranquility ~ the state of being free from commotion or disturbance; the absence of agitation The mere anticipation of being in my favorite hotel room overlooking Haystack Rock (which grows out of the Pacific in Cannon Beach, Oregon) triggers an impending sense of tranquility somewhere deep inside of me. Once there, the peacefulness in my … <\/p>\n


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