Our family has this tradition that’s been developing over the past few years of spending the week between Christmas and the New Year at the beach. It’s a week of family time and reflection.

And usually bad weather.

But I don’t complain. Moody water and skies add to the ascetic of the week.

January 1, 2019 opened with an early morning beach walk in the clearing mist.

Here’s the thing about beach walks.

There’s so much beauty. The meeting place of land, water, and sky is breathtaking and awesome. Ever-changing and magnificent.  So look up. Take it in. 

At the same time, it’s also important to look down. There’s a treasure hunt in the sand in front of you.  Shells and mollusks and treasure with astounding detail and intricate beauty are waiting for you to pick them up and examine. 

And it impossible for our human brains to focus on them at the same time.

It’s important to balance between looking up and looking down.

Look up. See the vision. See where water, earth, and sky collide.

Look down. Explore the details. Look at the beauty laying at your feet.

Forest and trees. Shoreline and shells. Vision and administration.

You can’t say, ”I’m just about the shoreline”. Or ”I only look at shells”. (I’m a forest guy or a trees girl). We each have to live in the tension of both.

There’s beauty in both the vision and in the administration and execution of the vision. Whether or not you have the propensity for one over the other, take the time to admire both.