We live in the most incredible world. We live in a world of natural wonders that will inspire, entertain, and delight us every day, if we pay attention to them. This week my goal is to distract you from the ‘urgent’ and ‘stressful’ things that are filling your days and the ‘busyness’ of your life. My mission is to encourage you to take the time to look around and enjoy the pink sky and the pelicans.
We all have a pink sky and pelican story, and generally speaking they are not dramatic stories, but they are powerful. Powerful because, with the right perspective, they bring us back to the only moment we have, and the only one where great things happen. They bring us to the present. My story is really nothing special, but it is essential.
As I write about often, I am an early riser, and I enjoy each morning doing my exercise at the beach as the sun starts to make it’s rise to welcome in a new day. I never know what colour the sky will be, and I am always excited to see what gloriousness God will provide for my joy and viewing pleasure. I have spoken about dolphins, and I am always on the lookout, even though it is a rare occurrence when they appear.
The other day, If I am being honest, I was not in a great headspace. Whilst, I was exercising at the beach, my head was somewhere else. I was ruminating on self-doubts, and I was berating myself for some poor choices I had made and an old pattern I thought I had broken but had not. I started spiraling, but thankfully I was looking out upon a calm and flat Port Phillip Bay. All of sudden, the water started transforming into a beautiful shade of pink. I looked up to the sky as the sun was rising, and it was a glorious pink. Almost immediately my mind shifted from the junk to the joy. I moved out of my past, and straight into this beautiful present moment.
Then, within a few more moments, arrived some rare and unexpected visitors. Three stunning pelicans flew in, landed, and started gliding gracefully through the water. Pelicans have a special meaning for me, as they always remind me of my beautiful mother, who loved them. They were moving in the direction I was heading as I started walking home, and they accompanied me all the way until I turned away from the water. My heart and mind, which only a few short minutes earlier, were in turmoil, had been transformed into peace, joy and gratitude. God most certainly delivered.
The pink sky and pelicans changed my state and helped me to find the meaning that I had allowed myself to forget about. So, my friend, what is your pink sky and pelican moment that you had recently? Did you notice it? Were you aware of it? Did it bring you back to the joy of the moment, and the beauty of the world around you? If not, I want to encourage you to look out for the next pink sky and pelican moment that will most definitely come your way. It may come in different forms, such as; the contagious laughter of a child, a stunning rainbow, a new flower blossoming, the rain dripping off a green leaf, the sound of rain on your roof, the touch of a loved one, the sound of the wind, birds singing, waves breaking, the smell of delicious food cooking, the taste of that food, the feel of your bed as you snuggle in for a restful night sleep. There is a never-ending supply of these special moments readily available to you, as long as you are aware of and open to them.
When you can harvest and harness the power of these moments, you will find joy, peace, and gratitude every day. In addition, it will help with your moods, your creativity, your healing, and overcoming any obstacles that you may be facing. It will most definitely help with one of the most important elements in your life, and that is your sleep. In fact, this week on my podcast I spoke with Amanda Chocko about just that. The podcast is called Sleep is a superpower and is well worth listening to.
As you read this, I hope that it triggers a desire to do three things. Firstly, it gets you thinking about some of the pink sky and pelican moments you have already had in your life. Secondly, I hope it wakes you up to one of those moments that is happening right now. For me, as I write this, the rain is hitting my skylight in a very calming and rhythmical way. What is it for you? Thirdly, I hope you flick on your awareness switch, and vow to never miss another pink sky and pelican moment ever again. Your life will never be the same if you do.