The Journey Inward

I'm not really a summer beach girl - 
I don't like the crowds,
the heat, the sand, the burn -
but I do love the shoulders-
the early morning and evening,
when I can walk for miles
on the firm, wet sand,
gazing out at the endless sea,
stooping down to collect shells,
splashing through the lapping waves,
watching gulls swoop and dive,
admiring the houses of all different shapes,
ages and sizes,
and filling every sense with the salty sea air.

The other three seasons
are truly my favorite beach times,
even winter,
because it's quieter 
and less about tanning
and more about the beauty 
of the natural landscape.
On a recent beach weekend
with my friend, she suggested a midday sit
on the beach, with our chairs and books.
I'm not much for just sitting at the beach,
but it was a beautiful day 
and we needed a rest after all our walking.

Chair slung low in the sand,
toes dug deep in the sand,
baseball hat shading my face,
sweatshirt wrapped tightly against the chill air,
we sat for hours and devoured our books,
only pausing at rare intervals to chat,
or close our eyes for a moment.
I'm not much of a beach girl,
but that afternoon was something special!

PS:  I adored this book and then binged the show of the same name!  Thanks to my middle daughter for introducing both to me!

Photo:  Long Beach Island, NJ.  10.20.24 by LA