37 – Beaches v2 *

This is the second walk I dedicate to my readers because these are their words that I have transformed into this walk. Thank you readers for sharing your wisdom with me.  Special thanks to Jude for providing the photos. Jude is in the UK and I encourage readers to visit any of her blogs: Cornwall in Colours, Travel Words, and others. Please tell her I sent you and feel free to comment on her images here. Jude’s work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Click the above video for several minutes of background waves as you read.

I like walking on the beach. It is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

The time is early and the sky is transforming gloom to color. This place and this time is a freedom for wondering and wandering, receiving and embracing the gifts of this lifetime. This place is where the seashells whisper my name and the waves curl over my toes. 

We all need a refuge, a sanctuary to use, exiting our everyday routine – and this place is one of mine. A place where the retreating waves pull the sand out just a bit from under my feet while I empty my mind.

The beach is miles long and the surf seductive with its sounds, but even the seagulls are quiet at this time. All that sand puts into perspective how small we are. Knowing each grain was worn down over time – yet, in the universe, our world is but a grain of sand.

The tide is low now, which means it will soon be bringing new gifts to the beach from the sea – then it will go out again to search for new treasures for the beach to use, enjoy, and admire tomorrow. Both above and below the waterline, the tide is our rhythmic connection to the moon.

The sounds are of another world – safe, encased, and separate – soothing, calming, and good – refreshing and cleansing. The sound on the beach can take anyone away from life’s chaos. The sound controls and prevents the take over by quotidian worries from overwhelming any mind.

I love the ocean roar, plus the clatter and tinkles of the shells on the beach as the waves recede. But that satisfying roar – a roar of uncontrolled power is a roar that puts me in my place. Yet, the gentle rolling and whooshing sound are comforting in almost a primal way.

There is a pattern to the waves that I find soothing, comforting. It can be whipped into a fury, but it always seems controlled, unapologetic. As if they are following their destiny, waves continue returning as if the beach is their destiny while giving me a timeless experience. Sometimes I think waves to be words the ocean uses to express itself – and it has much to say to those willing to listen.

Nothing beats that expanse of sea and sky opening limitlessly before me. I stare across the water to the horizon, which offers me an infinity where everything was possible. 

The horizon is where it is. It’s a cut-off point – an exact moment – the moment we cease to exist, nothing else. The moment of a friend’s disappearance or my vanishing from life here. Still, I wonder if 

Beyond the horizon is where we walk with the faith it took to get somewhere nearer to the end of something and the beginning of another. 

I’m walking at dawn – a hopeful time, as well as a time delivering gorgeous colors to enhance my view. Dawn is a time providing renewal and hope for the future to anyone willing to look for it. A new day is indeed dawning – a chance to push my reset button and acknowledge the possibilities in a new day. 

I started this walk at a moment of little brightness – a time following moments of dark. Brightness slowly appears, then a hello from the edge of the sun. For a few minutes, the universe seems aligned and at peace. Then BAM, it fully rises, and I have not grasped how much time has passed. A time of hope and possibilities – a time of endings and beginnings. There are very few things in life that can beat a walk on the beach during sunrise. Suddenly I stand in broad daylight.

I’m glad there were some clouds today before a sunrise because, without the clouds, the sun at sunrise would be too brash. The clouds soften the time by spreading the sun rays across the sky.

The sky is expansive here – yet in the woods, the sky is a sliver. No matter where one stands in the great outdoors, the sky is a language all to its own. While the sky can be moody, I love watching the change of weather. A turquoise sea turning to dark gray as the clouds gather with the sky reminds me that this life is full of infinite possibilities.

Except on days the fog hangs as a still moment, the wind seems ever-present on the beach. The wind blows away stale air and brings healthy negative ions to my environment. From gentle breezes to the wild and crazy, wind evokes a language within us. Different each time, but always refreshing, resisting, or damaging. But different winds teach us different things. After all, did you love the wild wind when you were younger?

Anyone can become entranced with the beauty of the shells – yet, we forget they were home to a creature of the sea. Maybe that is why seashells hold the voice of the ocean. Can anyone imagine how lifeless the beach would be without seashells?

A heron flies by on his way to its first stop of the day – to stand like a solitary soul waiting for acceptance. The living things here have such a breadth of adaptations to suit their particular needs. Although they are not on this beach, I remember those little clams disappearing into the sand after being exposed by the receding waves or digging hands. Mother Nature is incredibly clever and wondrous in adapting all creatures to a physical configuration leading to their survival.  

I see many footprints on this day – each weaving and carrying a story into the sands of time. Some are heavy with thoughts. Others are tired from the trials of their day – even others enjoying mental freedom allowing their maker to soar over the waves. But, I wonder whether someone eased their worries and tensions just through a long walk, or whether another finally proposed to his loved one!

As daytime nears its end, the sun has recharged everything – including hearts. Now we watch … 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Sunsets are magical, and one at the ocean is that liquid gold beauty that invokes gratitude naturally. Yes – a good sunset truly is balm for the soul – a beautiful ending to one day; especially, if it was a bad day, that brings a promise of sleep and a new day ahead.

Night is nearing, so maybe tonight I will see the moon’s shimmering reflections on the sea that will illuminate hearts. The moon – the personal divine light of many – a moon inspiring George Bailey to lasso the moon all for a girl. And yes – the wondrous moon in the night sky will lead me to tomorrow – a time when I will walk again on the beach because it is a place where we can forget the world and all its woes. Besides, I like walking on the beach for it is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

See what other bloggers have written about beaches

• Beaches (photos only)
• Twin Beaches (painting and poem)
• Pictures of Seashells on Beaches (photos and essay)
• Sunday Stills: Beautiful beaches (photos)
• Black Lava Beaches on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland (photos and essay)

Next Post:  Signs – Saturday 6 February @ 1 AM (Eastern US)

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