Bracketing a water conference in Mobile, we spent a few hours in Gulf Shores/Foley, Alabama on Saturday (left) and on Wednesday, we went to Dauphin Island (right). By water, they are less than 20 miles. By other measures, they are far more miles apart. Gulf Shores is considered the westernmost fringe of the Redneck Riviera with white sand beaches. Dauphin Island receives more brown sediment from the Mobile River and Mobile Bay to mix in with the sand.

On this week, we saw anglers, swimmers, and on Dauphin Island, several Portugese Man o’ War washed up on the beaches. April apparently was a busy month for them on both beaches.

As long as you avoided them, sticking the toes in the sand and in the water was refreshing. Unless you live on the water where you can’t see civilization on the other side, it is easy to get caught up in the stresses of life. Water is vital to life, even to the Portugese Man o’ War. What the oceans do is remind us that the world goes on with or without us. Not being able to see the other side reminds us that many days we go ahead and trust that we will get to the other side successfully.

That Wednesday, though, what the ocean also did was provide reflection time. A busy week was almost over. But the waters were rattled ahead. Staring at the waves also reminded me that we will make it through. As my friends said, “she looks Zen.” Yes, I stared at the water to refind my Zen and my resolve.

May you find your water and your Zen.