There’s an old sailor’s saying: “The sea is a harsh teacher.” It gives you perspective, often when you least want it. So after you’ve read the headlines and closed the tab, step outside. Breathe in that salty air. Feel the cold nip at your cheeks.
Let the mundane become precious. The queue at the bakery. The dog barking at a gull. The absurdity of a deckchair in January. That’s the stuff of life. And life, as today reminds us, is fragile and utterly now.
So go ahead. Live your easy-going day. Just live it with your eyes open. The beach will be here tomorrow, as it was yesterday. And so will we—if we’re lucky, and if we’re careful.
