After writing to you all last week, full of joy and satisfaction at the opening of The Seagrass Walk, it didn’t take long for the stress and anxiety I had been feeling to catch up with me. I crashed hard, my thoughts and feelings whirling at a million miles an hour, on the edge of tears. All the questions about what next that I had been holding off came rushing in. None of that was surprising, but I had imagined I would get a few more days of feeling good before it happened.
I kept working, the emails from the Aquarium and Plymouth Uni kept coming, but I was struggling. Mid-way through the week I remembered that my past-self had, in a genius move, booked a massage appointment as a post opening reward. For months I had been struggling with the conflicting desire to go away to celebrate and the knowledge that doing so would eat into the limited funds I have to build my van. The massage had been a compromise and as I lay on the table, the masseuse working her magic, I decided I needed more.
And so, I took four full days off and had a holiday at home, an easy thing to do when you live in West Cornwall.
I went to Penzance and played in the vintage clothes shops, bought a book, and ate ice cream in the park.
I took the open top double decker bus around the entire coastline from Penzance to St Ives, a journey that takes over two hours and it beyond spectacular.
I invented and baked a new cake on the hottest day of the year (recipe to come soon).
I went to the Porthmeor Studios pop-up shop.
I wrote affirmations for myself in the form of postcards written from from my dreamed for future.
I went to a quiet beach off the beaten track, armed with my underwater camera, a picnic, and my book. I stayed there all day, sitting in the sun and swimming in the cold turquoise waters.
It was there that the universe gave me the best possible gift - a dolphin.
It swam into Portheras Cove and enchanted the entire beach. I stood almost waist deep watching as the dolphin swam back and forth, as it leapt full bodied out of the water, watching it splash its tail, appearing almost to be standing on its nose to do so. It was a gorgeous shade of grey, its underside white and spotted. I have never seen a dolphin in the UK before. It stayed around for over an hour. The laughter and joy it created in everyone watching was remarkable. The giddy pleasure that settled inside me still hasn’t left. I close my eyes, pulling forth the memory of it, and can’t believe I am not making it up.
It was, without question, the most perfect reward, comfort, and encouragement I could have been gifted. I am back at work now. All the questions and fears that overwhelmed me are still there, but they feel manageable now. I am ready to take on my future and looking forward to sharing it with you all.
Beautiful. Sounds like a lovley dolphin 🐬 so gald it came by to say hi and glad it softend the overwhelm and encouraged the one step at a time thoughts.
Love and hugs 🫂 Arlie B
Just love this Rosie .... I imagine the warming temperatures around the UK are what is now attracting the dolphins .... representing the peace within ..... Cheers to relaxing with .... oh, a CORNISH ice cream!! How I miss those!!!! Love & hugs from Mexico .... xxxxxxxx!!!