The power of disconnecting

At this exact moment, I felt like my soul was alive for the first time.

I remember this morning like it happened yesterday. It was around 4 AM, and I was desperately trying to sleep in the tiny cottage of my parents. I was staying there for the weekend, to escape the rudeness of the city. I was tired, disconnected to life, college was tearing my esteem down. I really needed a break from my reality at that time. One of my uncles was sleeping next to me, and was snoring so loudly that my mind couldn't even think about anything else than the loud noise he was making. I took my phone and looked at what time the sunrise occured. I had about 45 minutes to get myself out of bed and go to the nearest beach where I could watch the sunrise tenderly waking up mother nature. I remembered being so excited, it would be the first time in my life that I would see with my real eyes the ascension of the sun. I took my hiking shoes and went outside. I walked for about 30 min, with only my camera and a bottle of water in my backpack. As I sat gently on one of the many rocks, I took a conscious moment to breathe deeply the fresh air of my homeland. I went quickly into a meditative state, with the support of the sound of the waves and the little creatures around me gently waking up with me.

As I was one with nature, I felt a calm heat on my face. I opened my eyes roughly, trying to get back into my physical body. What I saw next was absolutely breathtaking. The sun was slowly making it's entry to my world, welcoming any lives with warmth and abundance. I felt the beauty of life at it's purest form. It was also at this moment that I understood the importance of living fully into the present moment.

My first sunrise watching was a turning point in my life, where I felt spiritually aligned with the universe and could feel all the beauty my hometown has to offer. I knew that there would be no places like this one, where I could truly feel at peace with myself. I think we all need as human beings a little sanctuary where we can recharge our mind, bodies and soul. I encourage everybody to slow down for a while, and look around them all the beauty life is offering right now.

I think the main lesson about this experience is that we may sometimes get caught off living life like a robot, too busy living in our own heads and planning everything for the future, but we can so easily get trapped in this mindset and not being able to slow down and connect to the beauty of the present moment, this amazing energy life wants to give us. Home is not only the place we are currently sleeping in, but the place we feel most at peace when we are there. It's the people surrounding us, the noise of the hot fire cracking in the living room, the smell of a delicious meal that is ready to serve, and let's not forget the beauty of the sky. During this uncertain time, we can feel so lonely and anxious trapped in our home, but let's just remember that the sun will rise up again, and again, and again. Nothing is permanent in life, and that's the beauty of it.

I am sending everyone in this community love and hope, thank you for reading this little piece of my life and my thoughts.

-Anne-Marie