when your family feels frayed & disconnected: the habit of a daily walk

so the next glorious installment of our Unwrapping Series (have you checked these out?)  and today, a bit of a wander with a life-giving artistic woman, Laura Bastien, whom I’ve known since we only had 3 little ones, who has helped me navigate teaching and home educating, who has grown up a family with ours, and who knows the art of of seeing the present moment as a gift.   When we see calendars not so much as rows of boxes to fill up with things to do — but as boxes that we get to unwrap —  the present moment always because a gift.

guest post and photos by the lovely Laura Bastien

T his past June my husband, our four daughters (our adult son couldn’t join us), and I spent a week at a beach house on California’s Sonoma Coast.

And despite our oldest daughter developing a kidney infection that kept her house-ridden for most of our stay, our days were deliciously slow and full.

We spent hours on the beach everyday eagerly combing the sand for treasures to marvel at and happily tuck in our collecting bags to show big sister back at the house.

We found shells, whole and broken, worn smooth by the waves, satin smooth pieces of driftwood, and beautiful rocks that change color once dry.

We found bumpy sea stars and cranky crabs. We flew kites and built sand castles.

We raced waves trying to keep our feet out of the chilly water, and we got soaked by waves far bigger than we estimated.

We LIVED on the beach.