Our lives move too quickly to stop some times. There is always something to do, something that has worth for our sense of duty, family responsibility and profession that call us to work strange hours and even while we leave the hum of the office, it still follows us into our personal lives. I am a firm believer not to let that time slip by-my son often keeps me grounded by this particular attempt at stopping the flow of time. We will go to a restaurant and I will plan on bringing the food home and he will insist, let’s stop and eat it here-that simple task of stopping and eating a meal without the distraction of the television or things I have to do at home makes the difference between a meal on the fly and a real chance to connect after a busy day. We can learn much from our kids.

In that same vain, I watched the sun go down over the Pacific this evening. I can’t tell you how amazing the feeling was, having your best friend, and a loyal dog by your side to stop and feel the sand beneath your feet and the cold pacific waves up to our knees. It changes, the colors, the air, the whole scene changes from a misty view of the city and the bay bridge to a dark silhouette of the golden gate bridge against a molten sky of reds and golds. We laughed, we watched the dog run and play in the waves, he seemed to want to announce to everyone that he was at the ocean and he was excited-not many of the people that were involved in their headphones and evening walks understood his language but I did.

I watched someone balancing a bottle on their head-okay its California-a lot of Zen things but I appreciated it. I enjoyed listening to families and friends enjoying the last bit of the sun and the cool refreshing sound of a high-tide. I wondered if they appreciated it like I did-I don’t get to see the ocean often from my Dallas vantage point and I stopped and truly savored it much like the wine I had savored previously that day.

There is too much that passes by us in our daily life and unfortunately time doesn’t allow for us to stop and take much of anything in. I enjoyed every color, every subtle hue and every sound and smell as if it were a smorgasbord to the senses. I pinned that moment down in my memory and I will forever savor just a few moments watching and truly experiencing the Sunset over the Pacific.