The Bookation: A Journey into Reflection and Connection
The distant cry of a cockatoo pierces the stillness of the morning. It’s only 7 a.m., yet the girls have already finished a scrumptious breakfast they cooked together. Sliced avocado, fluffy scrambled eggs, oven-roasted sweet potato, soft yet crunchy sourdough, and sautéed mushrooms with colorful bell peppers and zucchini, finished with a handful of juicy strawberries and blueberries—a simple plate with a touch of magic. Over coffee, we chuckle at the amusement of calling ourselves “the girls,” a term both playful and defiant. There’s unmistakable pride in it—a kind of joy this unique and freeing experience has awakened. For this moment, we are exactly that: the girls.
A Bookation: More Than Just a Getaway
This experience is unlike anything I’ve had before—an escape not just for leisure, but for reflection. This holiday is a sanctuary for the mind, a retreat where time slows, allowing space for contemplation. After all, reading is reflection. A bookation is more than just an opportunity to immerse oneself in stories; it’s a deliberate pause from the noise, a chance to reflect, to delve deeper into thoughts and ideas, and to reconnect with the quiet corners of the soul.
As I read on the balcony overlooking the vast horizon, I’m swept into a flutter of nostalgia. Nostalgia feels like a luxury these days—something we, as working moms, rarely allow ourselves to indulge in. Yet here, with the sea stretching endlessly before me, it feels almost indulgent, even decadent, to let myself linger in it. The horizon decisively splits the world into two vast blues: the shimmering ocean below and the sky above, painted with delicate gradients only nature could master.
The Power of Perspective and Connection
It takes me back to being on the ocean in the Maldives, either on a dhoni or a speedboat, sitting in the middle of the deep water while fishing. I remember that exhilarating yet foreboding feeling as I stared at the horizon, when the dividing line blurs with each passing moment, until it seemed as though the ocean itself was rushing toward me, like an enormous tidal wave. For a moment, I’d feel as if it would engulf me, the boat, and everything around me—And in a drop of a heartbeat I would realize I had lost sight of the horizon line. The ocean and sky had merged into one endless expanse of blue.
How often does this happen in life, I wonder? Losing sight of the line that keeps everything in balance, letting it all blur into something overwhelming. As women and mothers, we carry the weight of guilt whenever that balance slips away.
But perhaps stepping out of confines isn’t as frightening as it seems. In The Night Circus, the book we are reading on our bookation, the circus itself is a place that defies boundaries—an invitation to explore what exists beyond the ordinary, where limitations dissolve and the impossible becomes real. Life’s boundaries are shaped by what you make of them—and by who you choose to share them with. The right time and the right place matter. Connection matters more than control. Much like our friendship within this group: the right people, meeting at the right time, bound by shared faith and common ideologies. Not confined, yet deeply connected.
There’s a certain magic in that—a quiet inevitability, much like the circus itself—a realm where what was once restricted is now limitless, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Just as Celia and Marco found their true freedom not by escaping each other, but by embracing their connection, we too find our own magic in the connections where we are truly seen and understood.
Nature’s Symphony: A Moment of Stillness
I pull myself back to the present, grounding myself in this view.
In the distance, Cape Woolamai rises dramatically against the soft blues of the Bass Strait, while the rural charm of San Remo unfurls around me. Yesterday, we watched cows, wallabies, and rabbits making their way down to the beach. From here, the beach is hidden, but we could only imagine what drew them there. The idea of cows on a beach, dipping their hooves in the waves—it’s surreal. It makes me smile.
Even the sounds here form their own symphony. There’s the occasional shrill cry of a crow, the teasing melody of a mockingbird, and, beneath it all, the constant, layered hum of chirping insects and buzzing bees. It’s the kind of soundscape you can tune out if you let your mind wander—but when you focus, it’s alive, vibrant, and full of stories. A white butterfly flutters into view, searching for its next temporary home. I’ve seen hundreds before, but today it feels different. I watch its delicate flight and wonder—does it know the power of its flutter? The storm it could cause, the ripple it could create? Much like us girls and this experience. What ripples might we cause simply by being here, by embracing this moment?
Learning to See the Extraordinary in the Mundane
And that’s the beauty of it all, I realize. I want to capture it, hold it tight, make it last forever. But part of its magic lies in simply letting it be—experiencing it fully, without trying to pin it down.
As I sit on the balcony, the world before me feels like a page from The Night Circus—a magical canvas, painted by the hand of God, filled with the extraordinary, yet visible only to those who are willing to see it. Quoting the character Alexander, “The world is not in a hurry. You are. But that’s the point. It’s always been the point. It’s about learning to see the extraordinary in the mundane.”
The waves crash rhythmically against the shore, like the heartbeat of an unseen wonder, and I can’t help but feel the stirrings of a secret, waiting to be revealed. As women, we are often taught to focus on what’s next—on the future, on achievement, on fulfilling roles. But there is power, grace, and deep beauty in allowing ourselves the time and space to simply be. To sit back, reflect, and appreciate how far we’ve come. The friendships we’ve nurtured, the connections that have shaped us, and the wisdom that comes with each passing year are extraordinary gifts. They are the quiet wonders of our lives, waiting to be celebrated.
There is a grace that comes with age—not just in the physical sense, but in the way we begin to see ourselves and the world with clarity. We start to understand that beauty isn’t just about youth or appearance; it’s about living fully, embracing the lessons learned, and savoring the connections we’ve made. And in these moments, as we sit together with those who truly see us—our true selves, without judgment or pretense—we find the most extraordinary magic of all.
The Bookation: A Journey into Reflection and Connection
The distant cry of a cockatoo pierces the stillness of the morning. It’s only 7 a.m., yet the girls have already finished a scrumptious breakfast they cooked together. Sliced avocado, fluffy scrambled eggs, oven-roasted sweet potato, soft yet crunchy sourdough, and sautéed mushrooms with colorful bell peppers and zucchini, finished with a handful of juicy strawberries and blueberries—a simple plate with a touch of magic. Over coffee, we chuckle at the amusement of calling ourselves “the girls,” a term both playful and defiant. There’s unmistakable pride in it—a kind of joy this unique and freeing experience has awakened. For this moment, we are exactly that: the girls.
A Bookation: More Than Just a Getaway
This experience is unlike anything I’ve had before—an escape not just for leisure, but for reflection. This holiday is a sanctuary for the mind, a retreat where time slows, allowing space for contemplation. After all, reading is reflection. A bookation is more than just an opportunity to immerse oneself in stories; it’s a deliberate pause from the noise, a chance to reflect, to delve deeper into thoughts and ideas, and to reconnect with the quiet corners of the soul.
As I read on the balcony overlooking the vast horizon, I’m swept into a flutter of nostalgia. Nostalgia feels like a luxury these days—something we, as working moms, rarely allow ourselves to indulge in. Yet here, with the sea stretching endlessly before me, it feels almost indulgent, even decadent, to let myself linger in it. The horizon decisively splits the world into two vast blues: the shimmering ocean below and the sky above, painted with delicate gradients only nature could master.
The Power of Perspective and Connection
It takes me back to being on the ocean in the Maldives, either on a dhoni or a speedboat, sitting in the middle of the deep water while fishing. I remember that exhilarating yet foreboding feeling as I stared at the horizon, when the dividing line blurs with each passing moment, until it seemed as though the ocean itself was rushing toward me, like an enormous tidal wave. For a moment, I’d feel as if it would engulf me, the boat, and everything around me—And in a drop of a heartbeat I would realize I had lost sight of the horizon line. The ocean and sky had merged into one endless expanse of blue.
How often does this happen in life, I wonder? Losing sight of the line that keeps everything in balance, letting it all blur into something overwhelming. As women and mothers, we carry the weight of guilt whenever that balance slips away.
But perhaps stepping out of confines isn’t as frightening as it seems. In The Night Circus, the book we are reading on our bookation, the circus itself is a place that defies boundaries—an invitation to explore what exists beyond the ordinary, where limitations dissolve and the impossible becomes real. Life’s boundaries are shaped by what you make of them—and by who you choose to share them with. The right time and the right place matter. Connection matters more than control. Much like our friendship within this group: the right people, meeting at the right time, bound by shared faith and common ideologies. Not confined, yet deeply connected.
There’s a certain magic in that—a quiet inevitability, much like the circus itself—a realm where what was once restricted is now limitless, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Just as Celia and Marco found their true freedom not by escaping each other, but by embracing their connection, we too find our own magic in the connections where we are truly seen and understood.
Nature’s Symphony: A Moment of Stillness
I pull myself back to the present, grounding myself in this view.
In the distance, Cape Woolamai rises dramatically against the soft blues of the Bass Strait, while the rural charm of San Remo unfurls around me. Yesterday, we watched cows, wallabies, and rabbits making their way down to the beach. From here, the beach is hidden, but we could only imagine what drew them there. The idea of cows on a beach, dipping their hooves in the waves—it’s surreal. It makes me smile.
Even the sounds here form their own symphony. There’s the occasional shrill cry of a crow, the teasing melody of a mockingbird, and, beneath it all, the constant, layered hum of chirping insects and buzzing bees. It’s the kind of soundscape you can tune out if you let your mind wander—but when you focus, it’s alive, vibrant, and full of stories. A white butterfly flutters into view, searching for its next temporary home. I’ve seen hundreds before, but today it feels different. I watch its delicate flight and wonder—does it know the power of its flutter? The storm it could cause, the ripple it could create? Much like us girls and this experience. What ripples might we cause simply by being here, by embracing this moment?
Learning to See the Extraordinary in the Mundane
And that’s the beauty of it all, I realize. I want to capture it, hold it tight, make it last forever. But part of its magic lies in simply letting it be—experiencing it fully, without trying to pin it down.
As I sit on the balcony, the world before me feels like a page from The Night Circus—a magical canvas, painted by the hand of God, filled with the extraordinary, yet visible only to those who are willing to see it. Quoting the character Alexander, “The world is not in a hurry. You are. But that’s the point. It’s always been the point. It’s about learning to see the extraordinary in the mundane.”
The waves crash rhythmically against the shore, like the heartbeat of an unseen wonder, and I can’t help but feel the stirrings of a secret, waiting to be revealed. As women, we are often taught to focus on what’s next—on the future, on achievement, on fulfilling roles. But there is power, grace, and deep beauty in allowing ourselves the time and space to simply be. To sit back, reflect, and appreciate how far we’ve come. The friendships we’ve nurtured, the connections that have shaped us, and the wisdom that comes with each passing year are extraordinary gifts. They are the quiet wonders of our lives, waiting to be celebrated.
There is a grace that comes with age—not just in the physical sense, but in the way we begin to see ourselves and the world with clarity. We start to understand that beauty isn’t just about youth or appearance; it’s about living fully, embracing the lessons learned, and savoring the connections we’ve made. And in these moments, as we sit together with those who truly see us—our true selves, without judgment or pretense—we find the most extraordinary magic of all.
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