Vacation

I’m gazing over my coffee cup across the sun-dappled bay towards the Golden Gate Bridge, which remains stubbornly encased in fog. The morning is otherwise crisp and clear. From my vantage point high up the hills of Belvedere Island, I have a panoramic view of San Francisco and its bridges. I’ve already finished my yoga exercises and am now dressed in layers as we’re traveling 1/2 hour to the north, where it will be 20 degrees warmer. Northern California packs a lot of weather into a relatively compact area. The online news that inadvertently crossed my sights this morning holds my interest momentarily: Merv Griffin has passed away, Tiger Woods has scored another victory, it doesn’t appear that the mortage industry crisis will affect most of us. Perhaps Karl Rove’s departure will, but it’s too soon to tell. At any rate, all this news seems far away – another coast, another time. Maybe this is what a true vacation is supposed to do, free you from stress and worry and even, to a certain extent, the past and the future. Or maybe it’s just the Zen vibe of northern California. Whatever. I take another sip of coffee and a deep cleansing breath. I’m in the moment and it’s all good.