The beach is 10 miles due east of my house and my parents live across the street from the Atlantic Ocean. My mother decided she wanted to walk with me so I waited for her to find her sunglasses and the key to let us get into the gate that leads to the beach. We started our walk by descending 16 flights of stairs at the condo. We then walked across the street and through the gate and down some stairs towards the beach and upon arriving "Mom" decided she didn't want to walk on the beach because it looked like it was going to rain. I was determined to get on that beach regardless of the weather (as long as there was no electrical activity in the clouds above). So I bid her adieu and took off my shoes and socks, left them them under the bench and floated down the rest of the stairs and onto the cool, wet sand.
The wind was blustery. The ocean was choppy. There was palpable and strong energy in nature all around. I took some pictures and video on the iPhone while tuned into some Debbie Friedman (pesach) music which made the whole walk very spiritual. (You can listen to a few of the songs here: The Journey , Mi Shebeirach, Miriam's Song, Lechi Lach ). The sky looked different depending upon the direction I faced.
Walking north.
Walking south.
So I managed to walk a little over 2.5 miles total round trip but it was a little harder on the sand and in the water; and absolutely delicious and delightful with the wind roaring around me and keeping me cool, the music loud in my headphones, the birds taking off from the beach, the people in the water kite surfing etc. I trusted my instinct and knew that walking on the beach was the right thing to do even with the ominous clouds in the sky. I was out there at least 1.5 hours. I wanted to walk more but when it was apparent there were no other people on the beach and it was getting dark, I headed back. This was the picture of when I turned around to head towards my parents' condo for the last 10 minutes of the walk.
Going north again.
My 82 year old mother was waiting on the steps for me - worried about me being on the beach alone near dark..Thanks mom :).
I felt grateful to be alive, to have felt the sand between my toes, the ocean water on my feet and legs, the wind blow on my skin, to watch the pelicans fly above and the sandpipers run across the beach.
Life was a celebration with a storm on the horizon and my feet in the sand.
76.8 to Marco
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