Last week I went back to a part of our country I haven’t seen for 39 years!

We drove along the Great Ocean Road of Victoria. A spectacularly beautiful part of the world.  It was late afternoon when we got to the beach house which overlooks the ocean. A strong wind had come up. We could see out to the choppy ocean with whitecaps dancing on the blue-green water.

It didn’t look promising.  But it was the beach! I grew up in a little beach town. I love the beach in all its moods. So I dumped my overnight bag and charged off for a walk along the beach. 

I couldn’t wait for the conditions to be perfect.  I was only there for a short time. I needed to make the most of it.

I recently heard Leadership guru Jason Jaggard ( http://jasonjaggard.com ) say, “Maximum impact requires full participation”. 

I need to be fully present. Fully participating. Not hanging back. Not waiting for conditions to improve. Not waiting for conditions to be perfect. But fully participating now.

I had a wonderful weekend at the beach. Spending great times with my family. Walking along the beach and seeing the sunrise over the ocean. (I haven’t done that for a very long time, as I live on the west coast.) 

Being excited at seeing all there is at a beach. Being filled with wonder. Noticing the smallest of things like the patterns left behind in the sand. The shadows cast along the yellow sand. Watching hang gliders overhead soaring and hovering on the wind above.

The endlessly rolling surf curling up and back, up and back along the shoreline. The wind teasing at my hair and clothes. The footprints of the seagulls printed on the sand.

Fully participating in life right now.  Right where I am. Wherever I am. Whatever I’m doing. Not waiting for life to get better. Or improve or change.
Participation right now.  Full participation!