I Wasn’t Expecting to Feel This Way…

Have you ever been surprised by how deeply something affected you—in the best possible way?

Sometimes we look forward to an experience for weeks or months. We imagine how wonderful it will be and how it might make us feel.

And then there are other moments.

They arrive unexpectedly. We aren’t looking for them. We have no expectations. And somehow, they touch something deep within us.

I had one of those moments on Prince Edward Island a few weeks ago when I was hosting my women’s retreat.

A few of the women on our retreat wanted to see a lighthouse, so we decided to visit one. I thought it would be nice. Something new to see. But I wasn’t particularly excited about it.

It was just a lighthouse.

Or so I thought.

We went inside and spent some time looking at the history and memorabilia. Then we began climbing the narrow, winding stairs to the top.

When I stepped outside onto the lookout, something shifted.

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the sky was brilliant blue, and incredible clouds stretched across the horizon.

And the wind!

It was really windy, but the air was warm. Instead of wanting to get away from it, I felt as though the wind was wrapping itself around me.

I stood there looking out at the ocean and the vastness around me, and within a few seconds I began to feel this incredible joy in my heart.

I looked down and saw seagulls flying below me.

Below me!

I felt like I was on top of the world.

I was absolutely elated.

One of the women was standing with me and started laughing because she could see how excited I was. She took a photo of me, and when I looked at it later, I thought, Wow. She captured it.

She captured exactly how I felt in that moment.

Free.

Completely, wonderfully free.

And I didn’t want to leave.

The funny thing was, I was the one organizing the retreat. I was the one keeping us on schedule and telling everyone when it was time to move on.

But there I was thinking, Can we just stay a little longer?

In that moment, I felt like a little girl again—filled with innocence, wonder, and pure joy.

Even now, as I write about it, I can feel some of that excitement returning to my heart.

And that fascinates me.

Why did that particular moment touch me so deeply?

Was it the height? The wind? The ocean? The feeling of spaciousness? The seagulls soaring beneath me?

Maybe it was all of those things.

Or perhaps there are some experiences we don't need to understand. We simply need to let ourselves receive them.

What I do know is that my body remembers.

We often talk about the difficult experiences that stay with us—the memories that can bring back sadness, fear, or pain.

But our bodies hold beautiful memories, too.

Think about a moment in your own life when everything felt good.

Maybe it happened this week.

Maybe it was last summer.

Maybe it was twenty years ago.

A moment when you felt completely alive. Free. Peaceful. Loved. Joyful. Connected.

Perhaps it was watching a sunset, holding your child or grandchild for the first time, laughing uncontrollably with a friend, dancing, traveling somewhere beautiful, or sitting quietly in nature.

Close your eyes for a moment and remember.

Where were you?

Who were you with?

What could you see?

What could you hear?

And most importantly, what did you feel in your body?

See if you can allow yourself to experience just a little of that feeling again.

Because these moments live within us, too.

They become part of our story. Part of our inner landscape. A reminder that alongside everything else life holds, there have also been moments of beauty, freedom, connection, wonder, and joy.

Sometimes we go looking for those moments.

And sometimes, when we least expect it, they find us.

For me, one of them was waiting at the top of a lighthouse in Prince Edward Island.

And I’m so grateful I climbed those stairs.

With love,

Diane