Unbound

Today I finally returned to the blue space of Bunche Beach, early enough that it was nearly deserted.  I just about had the place to myself, and it wasn't too hot yet.  I am grateful I gave myself this gift today.

Beach was deserted when I arrived

The tide was gently coming back in, which caused me to slow down quite a bit and just take in all the sights and sounds.  There was absolutely no feeling of being wrapped up in thoughts or being anywhere but in the moment.  Of course, being this far into the summer, I am usually in this kind of space. But today felt extra special.

I found many live crown conch and a gazillion mangrove crabs skittering around and diving into holes. I tried to get artsy with photos of large pieces of coral and coconuts in the sun and sea, admittedly with mixed results. 

 One of the suggested tasks this week in The Artist's Way is to find some natural treasures.  Bunche tends to have a lot of the same kinds of things, but I managed to find five different pieces that weren't like everything else on the beach.  This week is about recognizing the abundance in our lives, and that was certainly the feeling I had as I found these treasures -- like they were waiting just for me.

Coral, partial crown conch, moonshell, ladder horn snail shell

Finally, I began to get warm, so moved toward my car. That is where I met this guy named Doug, riding along on his bike singing. We talked (well, he talked) for a while, until I gracefully removed myself back to my air conditioned car.  At this point I would typically read a poem and write something right there in the car.  But my conversation with Doug broke the spell a bit, and I decided just to drive home, maybe write some haiku for my photos. 

And then I heard this song: "Unbound" by Kenny and Amanda Smith.  The words of this song went right with the moment, and will give me food for thought the rest of this weekend.  In what ways do I keep myself bound? In what ways am I bound and don't even know it? It can be so subtle.

Julia Cameron says we deny ourselves repeatedly, and that we are our own destructive force.  "Unbound" takes the same viewpoint.  We like to think freedom is a matter of chance, or luck, but it's neither.  It's a decision.

I could only find one video of the song being performed, and it is rather shaky.  I could not find the lyrics online at all, so I had to do what I always did as a teenager: listen and stop the song to get the lyrics down.  I also found this album is on amazon prime, so I was able to download it and keep listening.  I have always liked hearing Kenny and Amanda on the radio; this time they have inspired me deeply, even as simple as this song is.

When we open up to blue space, it is amazing what we can find -- living shells, stories of a passerby, or song lyrics that open us further to the abundance of life.

Unbound
Everyday I fight the force of gravity
No matter where I go, it's always holding me
Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be
Unbound

For each dream I dream, I face a thousand doubts
They hold me like a prisoner in my own house
Ever wondering what life out there is all about
Unbound

Life passes by, I sit behind these walls of pride
I long to share the secrets I keep locked inside
To move like the waves across the ocean's tide
Unbound

Unbound
Free to fly among the countless stars
Unbound
No ball and chain wrapped around my beating heart
Free to love, free to laugh
With no fear all come crashing down
Free to live my life
Unbound