Beach days drawing to a close

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I came down to the beach in May, for a temporary job assignment. And even though it's a beautiful place, you can still get bogged down in work things - writing reports, analyzing data, formatting documents, chasing down answers to questions.

I realize that far too often, I spend my days sitting in an office, crunching numbers or following up on trivial details, gossiping or griping - when only steps from my office door, a whole world of natural beauty awaits.

Sometimes I have to force myself to push away from the desk, to walk outside, to head for the sand and the water, the gulls and the scent of salt.

But when I do, I never regret it. It recharges my batteries, and makes it possible for me to go back and re-open my email In-box. It's always worth it.

In mid-September my assignment ends and I go back to my regular office. I'll miss this place, and I think I'll always wonder if I appreciated what a wonderful gift this assignment was, even with its challenges.

I'll be glad to be back with my familiar co-workers. I've come to appreciate my long-term boss and her knowledge, her fairness, and her honesty. And here's the thing - my regular office is in a pretty nice neighborhood too. Maybe I should make a practice of getting out and exploring things there. Right?