The Lure of the Shore

5/22/2016

The last shot I got before heading out from my happy place

It's not the end of the world, but you can see it from there.

I am thankful for the discovery that the earth is round because, if the horizon really was the end of the world, it would be a frightening thing indeed. Sitting at the edge of the shoreline -- any shoreline -- is a lesson in infinity by contemplation. It's a tutorial for sparking inner thought and self-analysis, if you but listen, that leads to the discovery of more self-motivation, maybe some self-modification, and a good helping of self-purpose-pondering. Any time I take a trip to the beach, I am reminded that there is something bigger out there than myself and someone bigger out there than myself. I always come away longing for inner growth, committed to making more time for wonderment, and hoping beyond hope that the inspiration will never leave me.

For my fellow beach-lovers out there, you know what I'm talking about. I write to you this week from the sunshine state...the state where the locals feel like they're always on vacation and where tonight's dinner just might be today's catch. It's a place where the sky is bluer and where it never rains -- well, that'd be an exaggeration of the truth because I've seen several hard-driving storms pass through this week. But they left as quickly as they came which makes them a very palatable uninvited guest. It's rare to see days in the spring and summer when the rain drones on for days, a steady pecking of the drops that feels somewhat like Chinese torture if you're longing for sunshine. I'm not sure about the winter months because I could probably count on one hand the times I've seen the ocean in the still of winter. I'm sure winter on the beach has its own pleasures, but I'd like to think it's clear and sunny all the time on the beach. It's how I will remember it one day when I'm too old perhaps to make the trip (WHICH WILL BE NEVER IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT!).

A week at the beach holds more pleasures for me than is really possible to put into words. The moment I see the ocean I begin to relax. My shoulders sink into a semi-humped position and my eyes begin to droop a little from what I've come to realize is the sheer laziness that a trip to the shore induces in me. The ocean indulges me with endless possibilities in my mind and with my camera, and there is nothing like a week where you truly do anything you'd like at that particular moment in time. But before you go thinking that my beach trips are similar to wild trips to Vegas, let me reassure you. The craziest thing I do on the beach is maybe hunker down with a frozen daiquiri (but only one) in my chair as the sun is sinking very low in the sky. I might laugh hysterically as the tears roll down my cheeks, taking the carefully-applied mascara from the night before along with them. I most definitely will overeat, allowing that fried delicacies of the sea have absolutely no fat and insisting that two desserts a day are actually calorie-free in this magical place. Besides, any calories over-consumed will be burned off by the early morning treks down the shoreline. I never feel any guilt about napping or sleeping in or watching TV and getting in bed at 2:00 a.m. If I nap poolside and serenade the bathers with my snoring, hey, they're sawing logs as well, so no worries.

I've never quite fully understood why I love a beach trip so much. Maybe it's from my days as a teenager when I was always invited to the beach for spring break by a good friend. They hold a great memory in my heart because, even though I took trips to the beach as a child, it was not every single summer. But the spring break trips with my friend were. I have great memories of lying on the beach with whatever I had at the moment with which to grease my fair body -- baby oil, Hawaiian Tropic with no SPF, pure cocoa butter...oh, dear. If I got too much sun, which I almost always did, I just swiped my glowing skin with vinegar and it magically turned a golden hue. Remember that one?!! We were blissfully ignorant back then at the consequences too much sun can reek on a body, especially as that body gets older. So these days I diligently cover all those past infractions with SPF-50, graduating near the end of the week to maybe an SPF-15 so that I do take at least a little glow home with me. I guess sun-worshiping never completely gets out of your system if you're a gal of the seventies.

As the vacay comes to a close, I am a bit teary but definitely not weary. As much as there is no place like home, there is nothing better than a week at the shore. If you ever see one of those t-shirts that reads "Just one more day at the beach..." would you give me a heads up? I don't care how many days I get to stay, I always want just one more day. As summer officially comes into full swing with Memorial Day around the corner, I wish you memories this season that will be truly unforgettable... laughter with no restraints, guilt-free relaxation outdoors with all the ones you love, and maybe even a few days at the beach of your choice. But somewhere to unwind, fine-dine, and be completely lazy.

But, most of all, I wish you a slightly toasty and bronzed glow, so that at least folks know you have the pleasures of summer not only in your heart but also on your body.