Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla
Calming music for a stressful time. For as long as I can remember I’ve always associated certain songs with events or times in my life.
Back in university days we used to go to Penticton for the last couple of weeks of summer before returning to school. Mixed tapes for the long drive there and back along with the music in the clubs and on the beach defined the day and always reminded me of those wonderful times.
Well, I just returned from another adventure and in this edition of Tales From The Tropics I want to tell you a little about the island of Anguilla in the Caribbean and the calming music of one particular song that will forever remind me of this place, this time, and the amazing people we met along the way.
As I’m sure you can relate in the days leading up to a vacation the stress can rise as there never seems to be enough time to get everything done that needs to be done. I’m usually ahead of the game on this and am usually winding down into my vacation. Not this time.
This time it seemed like things kept escalating with new things getting added to my endless list of “to dos”. I could feel the stress mounting. In the past I used to end up catching a cold just as I would leave and feel lousy all trip. Thankfully that’s a thing of the past and calming music while working through the pre-vacation prep would serve me well.
In the lead up week for this trip a certain song kept popping into my head and I kept singing it to myself when it felt like things were spinning out of control. I’d smile each time and even sang out loud some times when alone. Pretty sure you’d be thankful of that if you ever heard me singing out loud!
Well fast forward a week and I found myself walking barefoot in the powdery sand along the crystal clear turquoise waters of Rendezvous Bay on the island of Anguilla in the Caribbean.
Feeling the warmth of the Caribbean sun and hearing the waves lightly crash along the shore while walking along with my family and some great friends, there was no place I’d rather be.
At a quiet end of the beach there was partially hidden away little beach bar and restaurant. As we walked in to check it out we were warmly welcomed by the local bartender and a few others and then there it was. That calming music and the song that was firmly embedded in my head from before we left.
“Don’t worry, about a thing. Every little thing gonna be alright.”
The classic by Bob Marley. Here’s a link if you want to have a listen. Bet you’ll be singing it for the rest of the day too!!!
I just smiled and began singing and then my daughter Maya started singing too. All the way back down the beach we laughed and sang and walked and felt great.
Calming music for a stressful time
Over the course of any of my trips I try to unplug for big chunks of every day but in today’s connected world we’re always close to all that is happening around the globe. This trip was no different. The COVID-19 situation was escalating around the globe and we were really wondering if we’d be able to make it home. Would have been a great place to be “stuck” if we had to but we’ve all got others and things going on at home to be concerned about.
“Don’t worry, about a thing. Every little thing gonna be alright.”
This calming music kept things in perspective.
As is human nature, focusing on all that is going wrong is pretty easy to do. That can lead to stress and panic and we’ve certainly been seeing some of that recently, haven’t we?
Calming music; whatever song, genre, or artist you love can really help you stop and step back for a moment. You’ll calm down and be able to regain perspective on all that is happening. Then you can choose a different less stressful way forward.
As our trip was winding down things in our part of the world were escalating up, and not in a good way.
We spent one afternoon late in our trip at Gwen’s Reggae Beach Bar listening to the live music of the house band. Swinging in a hammock with toes in the sand and drink (rum punch) in hand, once again, there was no place I’d rather be.
They were awesome and I even bought their CD to support the local band. Now I have some more calming music for future stressful times back home.
Don’t really know how everything will play out with COVID-19 but…
“Don’t worry, about a thing. Every little thing gonna be alright.”
Beginning with a degree in exercise science and kinesiology, Brent Haydey has evolved over thirty years as an entrepreneur; building four businesses, and as a health, executive, and life coach.
