Sept. 5 Good Enough

I went alone, leaving in the rain, needing only one chair, even though I thought it would be a bit sad.
I was there just long enough to wake up and hear the waves and walk on the beach in the rain, between the thunderstorms, 

I ate in restaurants rather than taking out, sharing with the waves and my book.

I sat under towels when it was too windy for umbrellas, back against the wind, grateful for the exfoliating as an unplanned extra.

I walked slowly in the rain, watching for those lightning detected alerts, remembering life doesn't have to go as planned to be good.

I felt less guilty for all those places in my life where I could have been/should have been better, stronger, more generous.

Somewhere along the path, between the rain clouds, beneath the angry flashing skies, it took traveling alone, to a place I thought was for families, to understand that even when life does not go as planned it is good enough. 

Like that less than perfect shell that landed at my chipped toes as they ordered us off the beach, it was good enough.