Live for the moments you can’t put into words.
A few years back we brought in the new year down on the Coromandel. We went camping for a week with a bunch of mates. It was one of the first times I went into a new year feeling content and expectant for what was to come.
The day after New Years Day we headed down to the beach to spend the night, as we left our campsite the brightest shooting star shot across the sky and stopped us all as we stood in awe. Walking down to the beach we passed hundreds of little glow worms lining the path. We got to the beach and the boys started a fire. Side note: it was the FUNNIEST thing, they all went into hunter/gatherer mode and ripped their shirts off (see above) as they ran around scavenging for firewood, us girls couldn’t stop laughing at the way they all changed. I guess that’s the way boys are wired isn’t it! Anyway, we sat around listening to music and chatting away. Huge sets were rolling in and as every wave broke it was full of bioluminescent plankton which sent a brilliant blue light shooting along the waves. I’d seen the plankton many times before, but I’d never seen so much. It was spectacular. We then lay in awe as countless shooting stars lit up the moonless sky. It was like something out of a music video. Seriously, it didn’t feel like real life. I still can’t quite believe that it was.
It was one of those nights where you just couldn’t help but worship.
We changed the playlist to a worship one and all lay there singing praises to our God until the early hours of the morning.
It was a warm night and we fell asleep to the sound of the ocean, waking up a few hours later for sunrise.
We need more of this stuff, spontaneous moments where you don’t think too much. We need to get out of routines and just be. Especially after what we’ve all just been through as a nation. We’ve learnt a new way of living over the last 7 weeks, although it has been hard, there are still things we can take away and integrate into life going forward. We’d be silly not to.
The only trip you’ll regret is the one you didn’t take. It doesn’t even have to be far, if you’re living in NZ there are a million places you can walk to that won’t cost you a thing. Pull out your old bucket list, or sit down and spend some time creating a new one. I guarantee you’ll have fun dreaming about all the things you want to do. When we got home from our New Years trip I went to check off a few things that we’d done. I sat reading all the things I’d already crossed off over the last 10 years and I was filled with gratitude and wonder. There were so many that I’d forgotten. I needed the reminder, although some seasons had been hard, dotted throughout the journey were so many moments of joy. Seek out those moments you can’t put into words.
When was the last time you did something for the first time?