ocean spray

my body hurts. drove all morning and all night yesterday, but it was sooooo worth it, 'cause i went to the beach.

i love the beach!

there's definitely something spiritual about the beach. when i'm there, i look out at the ocean, as far as my eyes can travel, and i scan the horizon from north to south, thinking about how far out it goes, how big the world is, how big the universe is and how amazing the Creator is. i think about how the moon influences the movement of the water, and how the water itself seems to be a living thing with its own will, pushing and pulling, moving the sand and tickling and tossing the people and fish... being at the beach causes me to pause and think about how profound it is to be. to be alive. to be reverent of the Creator. to be happy.

i dug my toes in the wet sand and in the dry sand. i flirted with the edges of the water, racing it, charging it... the smell of the ocean and the spray of the crashing choppy waves brought out the kid in me. i danced all over my little chosen section of the beach, rejoicing because i've finally made it to the shore after all these busy weekends. the sky was blue and cloudless. the wind was gentle and cool. the water was tepid - not too cool, but cool enough to excite my body and tempt it to stay in the surf. i spied on the birds, leaving their stick-like bird prints in the sand, and gliding overhead. i entertained myself by watching the children and the shoreline walkers. i loved being there. and i loved the company...

after dark, a walk through the carnival-like boardwalk was topped off with funnel cake and water ice. the drive home through the fragrant pine barrens topped it all off. if i live to be an old woman, i'm getting a house somewhere near an ocean. i can't think of a better way to spend my summers...

the way my body hurts is that goooooood hurt. the dull ache that comes from struggling against insistent waves that meant to knock me down (and that sometimes succeeded). i've been flexing my calves and rolling my head around on this neck. and if i had to do it all over again...

i'd have played harder, splashed more, and danced until falling down in a sandy mess.

maybe i will next time.