Yeah I had heard that we’d be able to see the Solar Eclipse on the west coast but I didn’t think too much about it. Then Sunday morning it occurred to me that it sure would be cool to see it at the beach. I brought it up to Corey later that morning and he said, “Well let’s go”. I don’t think either of us expected that I would actually agree to do it…and then that I would ACTUALLY do it.
I LOVE THE BEACH. I LOVE THE OCEAN. It is my place to breathe. It is my spiritual anchor. It is where I find most peace and calm and feel most present. I HAVE BEEN AFRAID TO GO TO THE BEACH since I was diagnosed with lupus almost 2 years ago due to all of the sun exposure. Not to mention that I also have the fear of getting too hot from the sun and my multiple sclerosis acting up. I have got to really figure out how I can get myself there more this year because I actually gave in (after some hemming and hawing) and let myself go! I mean for goodness sakes! It is only 4 miles away from where I live and I am in Santa Monica, CA ALL THE TIME for doctor appointments. Why not just take a detour and even drive through there and see the ocean on my way through?
Anyway, I had a wonderful time! It was hard to see the actual Eclipse happening for most of it but it was so refreshing to be one with the ocean again. To stand in it and be a part of nature was so fulfilling for me. I just had to share some pictures with you:
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. The glow from the sun was extra strong and so defined. The sun was more defined in this picture than in most I’ve taken.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. I turned away from the sun to see this palm tree and lamp post in the perfect artsy position for a picture as if they were posing. Thought it came out kinda neat.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. I am in my element.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. Love this action shot of me doing my newest ocean dance move?
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. Oh yeah. Look at that wave crashing. The waves were kinda crazy too.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. Yes, I really did stand in the ocean. It was pretty chilly at first but it did get warmer the more I was in it.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. Corey with his sexy blowing hair posing with the sun.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. There I am trying to be deep and pose with the sun. No sexy flowing hair for me.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. I sure was proud of myself for catching the lifeguard helicopter in the shot. Simple pleasures…sometimes.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. And then we went back in time and saw this beautiful ship.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. The sun was getting creative and producing these geometric shapes for us. Even the rays are in perfect places.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. Can’t believe how perfectly aligned the ship, the paraglider thingie and the seagull are with each other and then with the sun in the background.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. The light started getting pretty dramatic.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. One of my favorite things to see in nature is the sunlight reflecting on the ocean.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. Behind me were these pretty white fluffy wispy clouds against a VERY blue sky. And of course the palm trees are awesome too. Wonderful.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Santa Monica, CA. This line of palm trees caught my eye. I had to catch the view. And as you can see, there’s a light misty fog hanging in the air. Couldn’t see the mountains at all this time and the pier got lost too.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Westchester, CA. Alas, we had somewhere we had to be so we had to leave the beach and it was here that we saw a better view of what was actually happening during the Eclipse.
05/20/12 Solar Eclipse in Westchester, CA. I had decided to try to grab one more picture on the spot and it turned out to be the best one in the whole series of the actual Eclipse itself. You can see the Eclipse happening in what appears to be a smile of light just above the building almost to the center. It was really cool!
So as you can see I did it and I had a great time!!!!!! Neither the lupus or MS bothered me at all while I was at the beach in the sun and I think it was because I was in the moment and I wasn’t worrying about it. Usually I can feel the sun bothering my symptoms right away. The symptoms didn’t show up until the next day when my body said it was time to live in a cave of darkness for the day (kicking and screaming might I add) and it really did help!
Thank you to the Solar Eclipse for giving me the motivation I needed to get out and get to the beach where I mentally feel my best!!!!! I desperately needed to do that for my own sanity and today I can admit that it really was worth it.
Nahleen.com: On the Inside Looking Out 
Love your pictures!!!! and so glad that you were able to get out and enjoy the beach and see the eclipse………. I’ve actually seen one of these in the past and it was really really cool and simply amazing…….. Thank you for sharing your experience and just so happy for you to have just gotten out there and did it. Sometimes just taking the plunge and not over thinking it, is the best approach to adventures like this..
Hi Bonnie,
Thanks for all of your love and support!!!! It’s true. It was a very good thing to just do it even if I ended up feeling crappy from too much sun the next day. Sometimes we gotta just live life anyway no matter what!!!