Chlorinated Lament/Peace

saying yes

Lent is over and I have been meaning to write about it for about 40 days now. I had an essay about lament and my new oven and heavenly bread all written in my head for weeks now. Did it make to the page (computer)? No, no it did not. Such is another item to add to my list of my laments. When you are lamenting the lack of lament did you accidentally just undo it all? Do double negatives effect such things?

I thought about writing the essay anyway and just sending it into the ethos so that it would be free to leave my brain. But that seems like a futile, misplaced effort at this point. As I am now sitting at the computer and wanting to tell you about the waterpark.

This past week I took the kids on a quick overnight to an indoor waterpark. I was surprisingly looking forward to the trip-waterparks, crowds, lights, none of these things would be included on a list of my favorite things. Yet the fun, and the temporary escape from day to day life, was so great that it overcame the sensory overload that is an indoor water park and family resort.

The balmy 85 degrees of the water park was a shock to the system but nothing compares to the chlorine. As I entered the waterpark I hit a wall of the noxious gas-it was inescapable. Hazy windows, tinted air, burning eyes, the chlorine was ever present and plentiful.

Despite the noxious air, the deafening noise and all that comes with such places, I was at a peace. My peace wasn’t derived from a zen-like state or some righteous stance. My peace, I realized, had come from being wholly present. One of the fascinating things about a waterpark is there seems to be a communal understanding that what you look like in a swimsuit doesn’t matter. So even that thought is left on the sidelines. It is just you and the chlorine and a willingness to succumb to your surroundings.

This is the peace that surpasses all understandings. And I am not being writerly or whimsical. Peace in this place was beyond what I could comprehend. But it was there and it was sweet. It made me reconsider my lamenting of my lament. The tension I had felt, the angst about not being able to get my words out, it was all wrapped up in resisting my reality rather than succumbing to what was in front of me.

Our bin of Easter decorations made its way down from the attic today. Knowing the bin was still in the attic and the robins egg garland wasn’t strung up was driving me nuts. But such has been our last month. I wonder what would happen if instead of raging against the reality I just floated along a bit more and let the current carry me, chlorine or not.

I have a feeling peace may be found.

Thank you for reading. Please comment or share-it is such an encouragement!

My newest book, Peace in the Dark is available wherever books are sold. Might I suggest supporting an independent bookstore such as nooks You can pickup my other books Life Surrendered or Break Bread Together Available wherever books are sold: Amazon | Leafwood