Tara

Walktober: Ebb and Flow

Ocean and I have spent a lot of time together this year. No coincidence since it’s been a stressful year and Ocean happens to live at one of my most favorite of happy places. Last week, I visited Ocean again.

I walked along the sand, leaving my own sneakered footprints among those already there. People prints. Paw prints. Probably even teeny crab prints, but those are too small for me to see.

Along the way, I met a seagull. Didn’t catch his name. He (she?) stood at the edge of the water as each wave rolled in. I was surprised that the gull didn’t fly away as I got closer and closer. Apparently, I’m not the only one who loves to visit Ocean and didn’t mind some company while doing so.

Once my legs were significantly tuckered by the strain of walking on sand, I spent some time near Ocean but on solid wooden ground: the boardwalk. It’s as plain as can be, but still pretty in its own way. The lampposts that dot it are helpful when composing photos during the day (they’re seagull perches, too). The dunes are filled with grasses and other living things to help protect the town from flooding during storms. It was possible before to sit on a boardwalk bench and see the ocean. Now, that’s not the case. The pretty yellows and greens in the dunes make up for that, though. And too much sitting isn’t good for me anyway, my creaky bones tell me when I do sit too long.

Beach and Ocean and I will have many more visits. Change is afoot and who knows that that will mean in the long run. In the meantime, I have this happy place to escape to, though it’s hard to leave every time. I stare at the sea mumbling, “Just one more wave then I’ll go.” That process takes a lot longer than you might think as just one more becomes one more really big one then wait for that one way out there. It’s like knowing you have to leave a loved one but you don’t want to, even though you know you’ll see them again soon. (You know, Ocean is my longest and most-lasting love.)

Dear Ocean and Beach, thanks for the lovely walk, the time to think, the pretty scenes, the sunny skies, the beauty, and the reminder that everything ebbs and flows. I’ll be back soon. Love, Me. 

This post is part of Walktober via Breezes at Dawn, a yearly invitation to walk, post about the walk, and be included in a round-up of Walktober posts. Look for Robin’s round-up post in the coming weeks to take walks with people from around the world.

23 comments

  6. Such a splendid visit. I’m glad you’re spending time with Ocean. Sometimes we need to get out into the old world to remind us how inconsequential the new world truly is.Thank you for taking us 🙂

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  7. I enjoy being by the ocean, walking along, so thank you for taking us along on your walk. I like your conclusion about the ebb and flow of things, life, water. Easy to forget that when the stresses of real life are staring you in the face every day. Maybe we’re all less stuck than we think we are.

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  9. Hi, Tara – I live walking distance from an Ocean and Boardwalk (and many, many seagulls and lampposts) as well. I agree that this is a very happy place — that is always difficult to leave! It was a pleasure to discover your blog through #Walktober. I will definitely be back!

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    • Thank you! Lucky you. I hope to live within walking distance of an ocean (or at least close driving distance) sooner rather than later. Thanks for reading. I do hope you’ll visit again!

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  10. A lovely Walktober post, Tara. Looks like it was a perfect beach day. I’m envious you live so close to it. I live hours away and it is getting to be too much for a day trip like we did years ago. Ah, well, at least, I really enjoyed joining you on your meander. 🙂

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