Beach Days

Beach Days
Who doesn’t love a beach day? Sitting in the sun. Feet stretched out in the sand. Toes digging a hole until it hit’s the water underneath. Fingers raking at the tiny grains, squeezing clumps and letting them slide through my hand like an hour glass. Laying on my back or propped up on my elbows. Blinking slowly while rotating my head-scanning the horizon. This can be a lazy day, where I decide to unwind.
Or walking from the car to a prime playing spot. Arms overflowing with my volleyball, towel, pool noodle, umbrella, cooler, radio and lotion. This may take two trips. Dropping everything at once and running towards the lake to cool my burning soles. The sand is hot today. High noon and the waves are cool and calm. A beautiful contradiction. Enveloped in warmth then a freezing polar bear dip to give my circulation a much needed shock.
I learned not to care about the garbage or fishy smell. All those warnings about dirty or contaminated water. I know that if I avoid this nature with the paranoia that strikes so many addicted to the 6:00 o’clock news, I will no longer appreciate local beauty. I will pack my suitcase and go to Mexico, only to confront the same fears. The fear of letting go.
It’s this fear that pollutes our environment, and makes our home something strange instead of second nature. Instead, we sit inside and stare outside our windows, plan to dig a hole in our own backyard and fill it with chlorine water, then complain about the lack of time. Or how about investing in all those sports equipment toys? A shed or garage or porch overflowing with bikes or rollerblades you so desperately wanted. That one second where you decided, “today is the day I will start treading the ground and make a positive impression”. But instead your carbon footprint grows larger until one day it is the size of a behemoth too lazy to wade in the river.
I choose to be minimal now. I think I’m ready to breathe again. Enjoy what’s here and what’s simple. My big plans are easy. To be happy. And now is a better time than any.
The best advice I’ve received went something along the lines of this; “stress will kill you, so let it go and enjoy the seasons”.  I’m learning to sip summer with small sips. I’ve begun to take adventure chances.