Watch the sunrise or sunset.

“The second occurred two summers ago on our first cruise to Alaska. I woke up just as the sun was making its appearance in the Land of the Midnight Sun. As I watched the sun grew brighter, rising in the sky and chasing away the shadows of night. I grabbed my camera and caught the sun as it painted a path of gold across the water. In that moment, it was just me and the sun and the ocean and once again that veil of pure contentment settled on my shoulders, and my spirit filled with happiness and joy.”

“I didn’t get a view of exploding pinks and golds as the sun rose, but I was greeted by a gorgeous blue sky. And as I sat and drank my coffee, the sun caressed my face in a warm glow. There was a gentle breeze that would run across my skin every once in a while, and a flock of ducks floated near me, keeping me company as I sat in thought.”

“There is an added element on watching the sun rise up over the water. Not only are the colors amplified as they glow on the lake, but the water itself gives the each morning its own unique feeling. One morning I saw Lake Michigan reflecting back the colors on the calmest water I’ve ever seen. As I left that day, I reminisced on the sense of peace that I saw both on the water and within myself looking out onto it. On another morning, large waves crashed onto the shore, pushed along by strong gusts of air.”

“I just happened to awaken about 4AM, and saw the faintest light peeking out behind the curtain. I stood there and watched as the sun slowly cleared the sky of the dark shadows of night and let spill in the colors of a magnificent sunrise.”