A Study of Blue: A Return to Presence

This episode explores A Study of Blue, a free‑verse poem thatanchors Season 2. The poem charts a demanding inner journey: following a northern light through cold rain, frozen earth, and blurred horizons. Each challenge becomes a catalyst, sparking a hidden flame that guides the narrator forward.

At its heart, the poem is about choosing presence in a world that never slows down. It’s about learning to breathe again after years of high‑tempo living, recognizing warmth as a sign of arrival, and standing still long enough to see the beauty that movement often hides.

Professionally and personally, A Study of Blue signals a shift — a letting go of old patterns and a willingness to step into the unknown. It’s the moment where discipline meets compassion, and where life becomes a study worth returning to each day.

Poem: A Study of Blue by Bob A, Mindful at sea level podcast
Music: Angelic Sea of Stillness by Bob A, Mindful at sea level podcast (Suno)

Mindful at sea level podcast is dedicated to Jack Russell Nation… Ike, we miss you deeply!

A Study of Blue

A free verse poem

That northern light,

a study of blue,

enthralls my sight

each day anew.

Cold winter rain

pierces my skin,

yet in its sting

a hidden flame

rekindles itself within.

Dig deep — though frozen earth impedes

your search,

and fog‑bound mountains

blur your view.

Through half‑closed eyes,

with colors blurred,

a path of light

reveals itself to you.

Settle in.

Breathe.

Feel the warmth arriving,

folding around you

like a lover

who will never say goodbye.

The world hums on —

busy bees

seeking their queen.

Life never pauses.

Still you stand,

waiting,

marveling

at the scene.

By day’s end,

I long to be free,

immersed in life

as fully as it can be —

releasing the angst of the past,

yearning toward the unknown,

a study that began

the day I was born.

The day begins.

The day ends.

A study of blue.

In this Episode, “Another Mile,” Bob A shares a personal free verse Valentine’s poem that gently weaves mindfulness into the everyday rituals of love and companionship. Drawing on his training as a Mindfulness teacher, Bob A reflects on how presence reveals itself in small, steady moments — texting poetry, watching the sky, walking side by side. This episode invites listeners to notice the quiet rituals that anchor connection and carry us through “another mile” of life together.

Another Mile

A free verse poem

By Bob A

Togetherness reveals itself quietly,

the same way each day begins —

As one, soothed with warm loving company

a small ritual that steadies me.

Texting poetry on the fly,

gazing into a cloudy sky,

we hold the hands of time together—

your fingers intertwined withmine,

where even the air carries thescent of pine.

Mere words try to touch the warmth

that lives just beneath the skin...

of you and I.

And still, side by side,

Yet we walk another mile.

(Another Mile poem is a Valentine’s Day poem for his wife in 2026)

Music: Mindful at Sea Level-Instrumental (Suno AI by Bob A)

Listen to Song-Mindful at Sea level (Suno AI) with original lyrics by Bob A

Suno Link: https://suno.com/s/H9AcgjuJfStXrt2V

Morse Code:

MASL...WELCOME HOME

STAY STRONG...MASL

Mindful at Sea Level is a short‑form mindfulness podcast offering poetry, reflections, and nature‑rooted teachings. Hosted by Bob A — mindfulness educator, military veteran, and self‑described Mindfulnaut — each episode is a brief return to steady awareness at “sea level.”

A Mindfulnaut is a person who explores their inner world with the same steadiness and curiosity a mariner brings to open water. They navigate thoughts, emotions, and sensations like shifting tides — not to control them, but to understand their movement and return to center.

Mindful at Sea Level Podcast is dedicated to the "Jack Russell Nation." We miss you dearly our friend and companion, Ike.

On a cold winter’s day, as I gazed from my office window, a sudden sliver of sunlight pierced the gray. In that moment of awareness, nature startled me with its quiet promise of sunshine— whispering, “be patient… what you seek is almost here.”

This episode is a reflection on that gift of light, a reminder to stay steady, stay aware, and stay mindful at sea level.
-Bob A, Mindful at Sea Level

Credits:

Music: One Day by IndieDan

Artwork: Gemini AI

Poem: A Promise of Sunshine by Bob A, Mindful at Sea Level

Lyrics:

A Promise of Sunshine

The dawn awakens with a whisper of joy
—touched with gold.

Summer sings one final refrain,
then exits south, pursued by rain.

A dash of joy to start the day, letting go the sorrows of yesterday.

Tears and hugs of the past, not forgotten,
yet with chills, I anticipate the thrill
of being here, now, with you
in earth’s heaven.

Morning sunshine improves with age.
Its shimmering rays of joy
dance across a cold, melancholy landscape.

I retreat within, to safe harbor—
observing, noticing,
moment to moment,
in the silent language of nature, a whisper.

A promise of sunshine.

-Bob A, 2025

Morse Code Key:

MASL (Mindful at Sea Level)

BREATHE

SHINE BRIGHT

MASL Season 2 is dedicated to Jack Russell Nation.