The Wonders of the Beach

I ♥ the beach.

I love...

Feeling so calm, so at peace when I am near the ocean.

The feeling of the sand beneath my bare feet.

The incredible vastness of the ocean and infinite stretch of beach.

Memories of the fun family day trips to the beach when I was a kid.

Relaxing and feeling completely at ease laying beneath the sun.

Beautiful and ever-changing sunsets.

The sound of the waves.

The stunning beauty of pelicans in flight.

I have never lived more than 10 minutes from the ocean in my entire life, and it just feels like a part of me. Often times when I am feeling overwhelmed or stressed I will drive to the beach. Watching the waves, mindlessly hunting for interesting rocks, walking on the sand, the smell of the salty air...all calm me and instantly lift my mood.

I have a memory of going to the beach for the first time after my treatment. I was still very sick and on high doses of medication, but my dad helped carry my wheelchair out onto the sand and I can still remember the happiness to breathe in the ocean air and feel the warmth of the sun.

Life often times is not easy, and if only it were easy as taking flight like those pelicans and soaring far away from it all. But to me, it is these little things that make life so inexplicably beautiful and wonderful, and make me so happy and grateful to be alive. Living in the now, appreciating every moment, admiring all the world has to offer, and making the best of everything.