I sat on the beach, watching the icy waves crash ashore—too cold for me. A few brave souls swam just beyond the rough surf where it was calm and peaceful.
Behind me, an older man was helped down the dune by his wife and daughter. He wore dark swim trunks, clutching a cane. The women supported him to the water’s edge. “You’re doing it,” his wife said. “We’re almost there. Let me take your cane.”
They gasped at the chill. “Cold,” she said. “Beautiful,” he replied. Arm in arm, they waded in, shivering as waves rose to their shoulders. Beyond the breakers, they stopped.
“Ready?” his wife asked. The man nodded. They let go. The man spread out his arms as if he were flying.
“You got it, Dad!” the daughter shouted.
The man lay on his back, floating, and lifted his feet so the tips of his toes rose to the surface and smiled.
Whether it’s a quiet moment watching the tide roll in, a shared laugh with loved ones, or witnessing a small act of bravery—these are the glimpses of grace that stay with us. May we move through these days with gentle awareness—open to seeing the beauty around us.
