How much do we really notice all that is around us?
We often take for granted how much we really notice in our environments. Our brains are able to recognize and process a tremendous amount of information. We may not always be consciously aware of the details, but our subconscious constantly takes in and processes information from our surroundings. We may not be able to recall specifics, but when we become more mindful of our environment, we can begin to notice more of the details that may have gone unnoticed before. It's amazing how much we can observe when we take the time to really pay attention to what's around us.
I'll give you an example of a ten-minute observation:
On this particular day at the beach: there are seven Cool Cabana Beach Shades and three beach umbrellas, including mine, which is the prettiest. Apart from the crashing waves - as the sea is quite choppy - there are no loud sounds. No one is screaming. There are no children having tantrums. I can’t even hear other people speak. It's unusually quiet. Are people just sick of talking? Are we more reflective starting 2023? The sky is bright blue, and light clouds paint the horizon. It’s windy, making it easy to get sunburnt as you don’t feel the strong rays. Most women are wearing bikinis. I'm happy to see there is no body dysmorphia and only a handful of people swim in the surf; it’s way too rough. Most are wearing rashies.
My dog Loki sits in between us under the umbrella. He digs the sand and flops on his belly because it’s cooler there. A family with three teenage girls with long brown hair sits in front of us. Giggling to one another, they rub sand on their legs. I wonder if they are sharing secrets? Their parents sit on beach chairs. Mum is asleep, her arm flops by her side while Dad reads a book. I cant see the cover, but he speeds through flipping the pages. I can't speed read and am impressed by those who can. My husband has bought us coffee and gets stuck into a spinach sausage roll. On first bite he says it’s tasty but is a little too peppery. The only cafe in the area has charged a small fortune, but then if there is no other competition, they can charge what they like. People will still pay. After that he doesn’t say much, but then again, he doesn’t usually. I tend to be the more talkative one. Heat radiates from the sand. I uncross my legs, and I have pins and needles in my feet. There will be a long walk back to the house up the steep steps, by then I should get feeling back into my toes. Loki has seen another dog and runs after it. But the sand is too hot, so he returns quickly and lays on the towel. The smell of wet dog is not nice. I'll have to get hubby to give him a bath. #happydays #observations #dayatthebeach