Within Minutes
The tears sprung to her eyes as she said hello. She shared how she has been so weepy lately, not sure what is bringing it all on. As she spoke, I could feel the lump in my throat and the tears in my eyes. I was glad to have sunglasses on to hide my watering eyes. Of course, I shared that I have been as well, as I cried like a baby in the car heading to meet her due to a song I heard. We both laughed, that little laugh you have when you are so glad someone else is going through what you are, a laugh of “I’m so glad I am not alone.” Our circumstances are different but our reaction, the tears, are the same. We continued to discuss all the different things that brought tears to eyes lately as we got ourselves set up to embark on day on the water.
Within minutes of the kayaks pushing away from the little beach, we both let out a big sigh of relief. Again the laugh together. The water, the salt, the sea air, the beautiful sun-filled morning all spoke to our souls. We paddled among boats, jet-ski’s, and other kayakers getting exercise and looking at houses along the river. We laughed together when I almost capsized and realized that we don’t know how to get back into the kayak should that ever happen! We ogled at the breathtaking mansions dotting the river bed, imagining how wonderful it would be live there. We enjoyed the sun and surf.
But what we both needed and enjoyed the most was the soothing feeling we get from the water and our time together. The healing properties of salt air and water is amazing in itself. Seawater is rich in minerals like magnesium, zinc, iron and potassium, which each alone have fantastic benefits. These minerals are anti-inflammatory, helping to heal and protect the skin. People who regularly visit salt caves have been found to exhibit fewer respiratory problems as a direct result of inhaling the salty air within. So the physical benefits are vast. Add to all of those benefits that you are exercising and paddling along side one of your best friends for some needed girl-talk and you realize that your weepiness subsides.
As we sat on the island that graces the center of the river and where many people hang out for a while, we laughed and cried about life. But we felt better while doing it. We weren’t upset with ourselves for getting it out or becoming weepy over something that to others’ may sound silly. We gave ourselves permission to feel what we were feeling at that moment together knowing that where we were was actually helping to sooth and heal us.
We laughed as we tried to out paddle speed boats. We laughed watching people float alongside their boats. We laughed watching the people on a party boat throw a beer to a guy going by on a jet-ski. We laughed as we imagined meeting some of the people who own these homes. Within minutes of being together on the water, we felt better. Within minutes of being in the salt air, we felt better. Within minutes of getting back to our cars, we could feel our souls at rest and our smiles never ending.
We needed the salt and the water to sooth us and to help us heal. Within minutes.