Sand

I know there are some people out there who don't like the beach.  I don't understand those people.  It's like not liking ice cream or puppies... it just doesn't make sense.  Do these people not like smiling?  Are they communists?  I just don't get it.

If you ask most non beach lovers, they will complain about the sand... that it gets everywhere and you can't get rid of it.  Not me.  I love the sand.  When I went to Hilton Head for fall break, I think I was as close to a stress related break down as I had been in years. And that first day, even though it was raining, we went to the beach just to see the ocean.  When I took off my flip flops and took my first step in the sand, I literally think that I could feel my blood pressure drop.

As far as the sand getting everywhere... I think that's one of the charms of the beach.  My beach/pool bag has two kinds of sand inside. My car is sandy, and as psychotic as I have been about my car, I am hesitating cleaning it because somehow I feel closer to the ocean with it in there.  Today I went to the pool for the first time since vacation, and upon opening the book I took with me (of course Can You Keep a Secret?) I was greeted with a pile of sand being dumped onto my lap, and I had to smile. In fact, I love sand so much that now when I go to the beach I purposely bring it home with me.  I want to get tons of little vials and fill them with lots of different sand (because that will mean I need to go to lots of different beaches, you know, for the sake of art).  But until then, I have this:

Top to bottom: Coronado Beach, Hilton Head, Tybee Island (I love that you can see the difference)

I love the beach, and more than that, I need the beach.  I need to get there at least once a year and put my toes in the sand, listen to the waves, close my eyes, and just breathe. It makes life better. Sometimes I wonder why in the world I don't live close to the beach, but then I think if the beach was an everyday thing, it might lose its importance (plus it would be hard for me to keep up my football attendance streak from the east coast). But I do think next time I might have to bring back enough sand that I can run my toes through it, even if I am in the middle of Lexington.