by JoAnne Windsinger

Created on: May 12, 2009

Of all of the pleasures of life on this earth, a day on the beach trumps them all, a sanctuary of peace and serenity. It entices me, pulls me near, and grants refuge from civilization. It lets the spirit soar, return refreshed and renewed, and ready to take on the world and all its myriad problems once again.

The vast expanses of sea and sand blend with the hugeness of the sky to remind one of God's greatness, the glory and peacefulness of his creation. The thundering waves like great music, the plaintive cries of the gulls, and the delicious tang of the salt air further remind us of the wondrously created cosmos.

Here we can shout into the wind and let it carry our words to the corners of the earth and onward into heaven. The breeze whispers that here is a place to commune with God, listen to the answers to questions, to be silent, and know He is God.

The cares of the world fall away as I walk along the edge of the water. The beach hides treasures, just waiting for discovery. Shells, the cast off homes of former marine creatures abound everywhere, with new ones carried in by each wave. Lake Ontario gives up fragments of broken glass worn to a smooth finish and ripe for collecting. Lake Superior presents me with oval stones sanded to a smooth finish. Lost in reflection, I trek miles along the shore, just letting stillness and tranquility sink into my hurting spirit.

Endless surprises and delights await because anything can come from anywhere. As I walked on Charlotte Beach in Rochester, NY, I saw something streaming toward me from a long distance. At first, it appeared only a tiny dot skimming along the surface of the water. Never wavering, the dot sped in my direction and became bigger every second. It dashed between my feet and stopped on the sand. A toy boat from somewhere, probably Canada, became my joyous gift from an unknown child. I kept it for years.

Sharing the beach with a child, spouse, or other cherished persons brings us closer together and creates memories to savor for a lifetime. We fondly look back on activities such as building a sandcastle, splashing in the waves, eating a sandwich, throwing a stick for a dog, or playing Frisbee as special times.

Sometimes, we meet someone who is a stranger, but we have known forever. We walk, talk, share, embrace, and part knowing that the meeting was one of those rare moments dictated by fate. Each made no demands, only contributed to the other's well being, and traveled on their way.

As the years roll past, we amass experiences, relationships, and periods of blissful solitude, which we weave into an intricate tapestry. The soothing stripes of colors that represent the retreat from the clutter and calamity of life guard us against the loud, clashing jumbles of screaming chaos of our everyday life. The beach stripes are as deep and wide as the ocean. We add layer upon layer of fond memories, each turn of the shuttle adding to the richness and luxury of our creative effort and paying tribute to the days of our life.

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