nur.ture

"...the care for and encourage the growth or development of..."

This summer I have spent hours under the spell of feeling nurtured. Some call it swimming, I call it "feeling loved." Water and I have had our moments. Good, bad and otherwise. I like to focus on the good, and not the times when water scared me, deeply. Life threatening stuff.

Good times started early. Remembering when I ran through the lawn sprinkler in my "tidy white" underwear, and then, soon advancing to our backyard kiddie pool. Moments filling my heart with joy. Years later, I was there all over again. It was in that moment I stripped off my clothes and walked into the warm waters of Kailua Beach on the island of Oahu. The feeling of pure freedom and joy enveloped me. More life lessons later, and miles between, I found myself in the arms of nature feeling "that" feeling again.

Kayaking from remote island to island, I spent the night where I found a cove deep in the bowels of Desolation Sound, a place known for beauty beyond measure and deep tropical-like warm water ocean temperatures at the northern end of the Salish Sea and of the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia, Canada. Sans clothes, with only the moonlight and the bioluminescence to keep me company, I made snow angels in the water and found myself, once yet again.

While this blog may appear to be about my relationship with water, it really is about self, and the art of allowing oneself to feel nurtured. I call it loving oneself. It is about allowing ourselves to feel the pureness of joy, and love. It is in these moments I have learned so much about myself, the most important person in my life.

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For me, and perhaps you too, allowing ones self to feel nurtured doesn't come easy. Psychologist Rosy Saenz-Sierzega, Ph.D, says that people benefit from connecting to their inner child - to talking to their younger selves and exploring how their childhood has affected them as adults. She encourages individuals to nurture their inner child that was neglected. Whether or not you experienced this as a child, it is about self care. "We are never going to be in control of whether or not someone else loves us, but we do have the control over whether or not we love ourselves."

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I encourage you to make snow angels in the water, or whatever it is for you. Feel that feeling of pure joy and love.

I dedicate this blog to my brother Hugh, the engineer, who is always asking me, "how are you feeling?" I am not sure when my brother turned on his touchy feely gene but it is okay with me and I am glad to know he is more in touch than just knowing how to use a slide ruler. And Emily, a young woman, who I love dearly. I woman on her journey. So like myself in many ways. A woman questioning, searching, exploring and doing her best to make water snow angels everyday.