Contemplation

This morning, as is my custom when at the beach for an extended stay, I arose before the crack of dawn, put on a pot of coffee, checked my email and went out to pick up the morning paper.  By the time I got back to my room, the coffee was ready, I poured a cup and went out to the water’s edge and just stood there for a while.  This would be the last full day we would be at the beach.  Soon, our summer vacation would be over.  Our daughter and her children would be traveling back to Kentucky, our son and his children would be traveling back to Virginia, My wife, Dad and I would be traveling across the bay to our home in Brandon.

I love to go out to the water’s edge by myself first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee in hand just to contemplate things, things we had done together as a family during the week, the dread of seeing my children and grandchildren go home, thoughts of work and what I might be doing for the rest of the week and so forth.  It is always a peaceful time with my thoughts, just me, the vastness of the ocean, a few squawking sea birds, the gentle waves rolling in and lapping at my ankles.  Occasionally a small pod of dolphin will roll and blow a hundred yards or so out from shore, looking for breakfast, a pelican will dive-bomb into a school of fish.  All of us at that moment seem to be in harmony with one another.

As the sun begins to peek over the horizon behind me I recognize the fragrance of frying bacon wafting on the morning’s warm salty sea breeze.  Others are beginning to wake up and get about doing whatever they will be involved in during their day.  Soon a lone runner can be seen running up the beach toward me.  I begin to think it’s time to get back to the room and make preparations for the day’s activities.  For a while though, it was glorious, just me, the beauty of this natural setting, my thoughts and a good cup of coffee.