Exfoliate your life

Scientists say we can't live without water. People swear that ocean salt is the miracle wonder of the world. Both good and bad. Destructive and healing, yet mystical and alluring. Cuts will make their presence known as your submerge yourself into its water. But slowly your body adjusts and it becomes less noiteable--the initial pain fades--you get used to it. And the next day you feel almost healed, like the cuts look that much better, maybe you hardly even noticed them that next time. It's amazing how those tiny grains of salt rinse away the bad, as they find a way to embed themselves into the open wounds, unknowingly rinsing away the bad after initially thinking worse shall come. The irony of life.

The surprising twists in nature and life make you wonder and re-evaluate what you thought you knew. For you cannot know all, none of us can. It's mother nature's biggest laugh, what makes the unknown so powerful, and ourselves feel so small in the world of mystery and unexpectedness or the ocean of vast secrets. They say salty beach air clears your pores, smooths your face as the sun captivates your body, every nerve alive and awake, prepared for the pleasure or pain of what the sun stirs. They even say that pure salt drenched throughout the humidity is good for the lungs. Take deep breaths of it they say. Try our natural drinks of it and be cured they claim. Is that why so many of us love the beach? Why our throats long for moisture when air is stripped dry? The relaxing, healing power of nature all this time? Do we all just deep down want to feel cleansed?

"A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature." Spoken byt he nature man himself, Henry David Thoreau.

When I think of the word "regrets," I think about the word "change." Cause sometimes don't we just wish we hadn't done something: had that extra drink, spoken before thinking of outcomes, not allowed our voices to say no, lost ourselves for any given moment? A part of me feels strongly about not dwelling for great lengths on what's done, what's over, our past mistakes... Cause after all, we can't go back and change them. But I also feel even more certain that this brooding state is necessary--to an extent. In a way, self reflection has its own healing power, this battle with ourselves can prove to be its own cleansing process. Its grains may sting in the beginning, but opens up the possibility to heal ourselves if we allow it to. The tears in our eye may sting, but its the release of emotions that come with them that allow our hearts to become stronger, and our minds more at ease.

But you have to allow yourself to; you have to realize you need it; you have to be able to embrace it and use it as a tool for the betterment of yourself. Otherwise it just goes to waste, stays a stinging cut or gruesome scar. And I think this is ultimately what sets us sinners apart. There are those out there who make mistakes and shrug them off with nothing but a laugh and more to follow. Never given a second thought. Buried into a part of what transforms into your new self, where those mistakes are expected, now a pattern you find no need to escape. And if you're not careful, your values may change where the unexpected becomes expected, even now accepted by yourself.

But there's the other side to the sinners of the world, for mistakes will always happen; they're bound to--and that's natural, it's okay. We're all just humanly trying to figure it all out--ourselves included. But it's important to believe that there's some kind of dignity for those of us who remorse. Who allow those slip-ups to affect our vision, allow it to become the center of our focus and thoughts for a bit. Because if something bothers you, and you allow yourself to figure out why, it is then that you can find the right direction again. You have enough sense to realize it. You can strive for change, and you can begin to heal the cut away. Scars can fade if given the proper attention and care, so why not emotional ones too? But the difference lies in those who care and those who it doesn't phase.

But, like most things in life, you must be careful with this healing perspective as well. It's a tricky balance to master. Because in the end you have to submerge yourself (no toe-dipping), and let go at the right time. Our faults not to be completely forgotten, for continuous self-reflection time-to-time is helpful. But you have to forgive yourself as well. That's the secret and the most important part. Our religious selves will get down on our knees and ask for it. Letting our Holy One wash over us and help guide us back to where we want to be, the strength to not falter again. But when all is released, all emotions expressed, we can only move on by standing up again, right? And that's where forgiving yourself comes in. Because even when others do, even when your God does, the toughest critic is yourself they say.

So let go at this point. Make yourself become a part of the group who doesn't allow themselves to be defeated or permenently lost--especially because of yourself. Brush that dirt off your shoulder, and work on creating a better and stronger self. Practice, time, and patience. And most importantly? Course and Love. Just one big eclectic progress in growth. So make your own salt, don't wait for it to appear before you. Get on with healing. Submerge yourself in all forms of forgiveness, dry yourself off, and see the healthy new glow that follows. Heal your soul and feel the results.

You can make yourself into a beautiful human being, don't let your slip-ups taint you or keep you down. Exfoliate them away and allow a new layer of self to emerge. Breathe in that healing goodness and continue on. You can and will glow again, and if you're already taking your first steps to try, you're on your way. Your radiance is already shining through. Let it. And smile; you deserve to. Cause you're already farther than most. Photo 1 by: Lily Donaldson (Vogue Spain) Photo 2 by: Greg Kadel (Vogue Germany 2010)