Well, can't remember my last blog - unsure if I mentioned we are stranded up north Queensland central coast due to river flooding cutting off the highway south of us. Good news is the weather has improved, so at least we can enjoy the time here now. Been to the beach the last two days. My 8 year old was funny yesterday - you can always count on a child to know what to say to make you feel good! I was trying to ride waves in using her boogey board, but kept rolling off. "Never mind, Mummy" she said. "You have such a big tummy, that is probably why you can't stay on...... and you are also pregnant!"
We went to a place called Canoe Point this morning. Absolutely beautiful. I am so blessed to have been able to spend time there with the family. The tide was going out, so the mudflats were emerging, complete with crabs and birds. We had a wonderful time there, exploring rockpools, watching the eagles... and trying to work out what the horrible smell was (a rotten fish!). I love tidal flats - the child in me finds it so exciting. I think it taps into the few happyish memories I have of being a child - they are few and far between. But I can remember exploring the tidal flats at Tin Can Bay on a family holiday once - a rare moment of feeling free and safe and part of something bigger - the 'pure' force of nature that comes and goes, regardless of what we humans do.
My psych is big on 'mindfulness'. And I am so glad he is. It seemed hard to do at first, but has proven to be a valuable skill. It is amazing how well it can reduce my stress and panic, not to mention actually make me 'present' in my surroundings. Because of the dissociation, I spend a lot of time 'watching' myself and others, rather than actually being part of the experience. So mindfulness has really helped. For example, being at the beach - actually smelling the salty, seaweedy smell, feeling the coarse sand under my feet and toes, feeling the coolness of the water, actually seeing the birds and crabs and shells (and marvelling at their colours and shapes), tasting the salty air, hearing the waves and birds and my children playing - basically just 'being there' in body and mind, and saturating myself in the experience.
I am going to try and add some pictures of the morning - I'm not very tech savvy, so hope it works....
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| Family walking across mudflats |
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| Looking across tidal flats towards Gladstone |
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| Tidal flats looking out to sea |
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| A beautiful crab we found - absolutely gorgeous colouring! |
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| My friend the crab again! |
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| Believe it or not, Miss A is holding some soldier crabs amongst all that sand! |
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| Canoe Point |
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| Tidal Flats looking out towards ocean |
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| Tidal Flats looking towards ocean - we found lots of treasures in the rock pools. |
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| My family wat | | | | |
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