The Beauty of the Beach

The sand beneath my feet is cool as I begin to walk down the shoreline of Cape May, New Jersey. There is a slight breeze from the ocean blowing my hair behind me as I continue to walk. That distinct ocean smell lingers in the air as I stop for a moment to take in my surroundings. For once, the beaches are not crowded with screaming children, impatient parents, and out-of-control boogie boarders. I am all alone, except for the vast ocean that lies crashing in front of me, the sand stretching for miles on either side of me, and the sun on the brink of rising. As I take a seat to capture the breath-taking moment unfolding before me, I begin to reflect on and admire the simplicity and beauty of it all. Most importantly I begin to fully appreciate the surroundings nature has bestowed upon me, the more important grand scheme of the world and how lucky I am to be a part of it.

Arguably, one of the main reasons individuals vacation at the beach is to relax while temporarily leaving their stressors and worries at home. However, this was the first time on this vacation where I felt completely relaxed. There were no prodding thoughts in the back of my mind, and for once I was not thinking about myself at all. The only thing that concerned me was the beautiful landscape I was so privileged to have laid out in front of me. There was not another soul around to share in this moment, as if this spellbinding movie was playing out just for me. There were no distractions, no one to ruin this moment and all the worries of work, family, and friends began to disappear. The drama and deadlines back home began to feel less important in the grand scheme of things. The only role I felt obligated to play in this moment was simply a stander by, someone who could only marvel at this beauty, because I had no part in creating it. The pink and golden streaks through the sky were not a result of me or any other human being on this earth. The scene that was unfolding before my eyes was not one that could be captured by any work of human. A picture or a painting could not encompass the smell of the sea surrounding me, the soft crash of the wave that morning, or the cool breeze coming off the ocean. Any attempt at trying to capture this moment would fall short to me, and with that realization my appreciation began to set in for this whole landscape.

We are constantly surrounded by the works of man, the houses we live in, the offices we work in, and the cars we drive to and from those places, for once it was refreshing to view what nature can do by itself. This very beach at the heart of Cape May, New Jersey, must have taken years and years to form into what it is today. The rocks had to be slowly worn by erosion over the years, but perhaps this aspect lends to the beauty and serenity of it all. So often we, as a society, choose to race through life, never taking time to stop and appreciate our surroundings. As frightening as it may sound, there may come a time when we will not be able to appreciate these surroundings at all, because they will be all gone, replaced with shopping centers and housing developments. Even at this young age in my life, I have come to notice the differences happening in my environment every day. After this week ends, my family and I will be returning to my small town home in Pennsylvania. This small town, which now has a major highway running through the middle of it transporting hundreds of drivers on a daily basis, began as a town with only one stoplight and certainly no highways. The realization of how awfully soon the day might come where my favorite getaway spot might turn into another tourist, money-making establishment served to strengthen my appreciation for the moment I was in.

While standing alone on this vast beach, hours before any vacationer will come to claim his or her spot for the day, things seem so simple. As I have been sitting in the sand mesmerized by the golden pink color painted through the sky, the seagulls and sand crabs have managed to completely ignore me and carry on with their daily routines. As important as we humans tend to find ourselves, we mean nothing to these animals. We have in no way aided in their survival, and if anything have led them on the way to extinction. Perhaps we are only pawns in this big game of life, and have no control over what will ultimately become of us. We all live and then die, but what about what is in-between? As long as we have lived our lives in such a way that makes us happy, nothing else truly matters. It all sounds so simple; just live our lives in a way that makes us happy, yet many of us struggle with this ideal everyday of our lives. This very rare time of reflection led me to think about the many religious aspects of my life. The calm that overcame me in this moment and the remarkable beauty I was witnessing made me feel at great ease with my belief in a greater being and what would become of me after my life on this earth is finished.

As I finally manage to make my way back to our shore house where the remainder of my family lays asleep oblivious to the scene just outside their windows, my mind wanders back to the days when my father and I use to walk these same beaches together when I was a little girl. I am so easily taken back to those days, just the smell of the ocean, crash of the waves, or sight of a seashell will send my mind on a wild frenzy. In my mind, I can see my father and me walking with his hand fully encasing the tiny hand of his only little girl. We walk along the shoreline, stopping to pick up any seashells that we think my mother would like. I am rambling off any question that enters my mind, and my father patiently answers every last one of them until I am satisfied. I was too young to appreciate that moment and all it was worth. I never took the time to really look at the sunrise that was happening right before me, and I certainly never took the time to appreciate this moment with my father. As my mind snaps back into reality, I am in front of our little pink shore house, taking a last glimpse at the risen sun, and in that moment vowing to never let the simple joys in life pass me by.

The realization I came to this morning is not one that I could have come upon under any other circumstances. Pictures and stories are wonderful; however, to fully understand what a moment like that can bring one has to experience it. The insight that I gained that morning will stay with me forever. I have since made vow to never let the simple pleasures pass me by, and appreciate each moment for what it is worth. I am more trusting of the path my life has taken, and am secure in the belief that there is someone else watching out for me, and things will work out in the end. No matter where my life takes me, and if I never make my way to the beaches of Cape May again, there will always be constant reminders in my life of that moment. Whenever I feel that small breeze pass by me or hear the sound of water crashing, I will automatically be taken back to that place. However simple or insignificant this moment may seem it has brought about a change in my attitude and my views upon life and nature.