The beach is my happy place. Seriously. I had no idea until a few years ago how much going to the beach brings out the happiness I long to feel every day.
Maybe that’s what this world needs more of. More people need to visit the beach. Maybe we’d have more happiness in our world instead of the hatred toward each other.
All I know is I’m long overdue for a week’s vacation to the beach. Two hours over spring break wasn’t enough, but a girl can dream, right?
The clear blue water, white sand
The clear blue water stares at me. I want to walk to the end of the pier and jump in — if only I could overcome my fear of jumping into the water.
The fine sand is so white and looks almost like powder. It’s the cleanest looking sand I’ve ever seen. I can feel the softness as I walk across it so I can stand in the warm ocean water.
The beach chair
Walking back to my multi-colored beach chair a few feet from the lapping waves, I sit down. The bright sun warms my face. I needed this vitamin D to help me fight off this round of depression and keep me healthy.
Being in the sun is a love-hate relationship. I put on sunscreen protecting me from the rays so I don’t get burned. I don’t want to take any chances with skin cancer. Too many people I know have dealt with different kinds of cancer, and I don’t want to be a statistic.
I read the book in my hands as I continue hearing the ocean lap its waves against the shore. The sound relaxes me so much that I’m ready to nap right there in my chair.
I lean my chair back and close my eyes. I hear the waves hitting the shore. Off in the distance, I hear some children yelling as the waves splash on them.
The children’s yelling brings me back to the book I have on my lap. I open it to the marked page and begin reading. It’s a beach read that I found online and the perfect love story about a woman finding love again while visiting her beach house.
If only that story were true…
The happy place
I’ve been single for almost 14 years now. I’ve raised my two children. One has moved out and doesn’t speak to me, and one is almost finished with high school. It’s hard to say what he’ll do when he finishes.
All I hope is he and I can maintain our mother-son relationship. And hopefully, I can find a man for a relationship of my own. I’m ready to do that after all of these years of putting my children’s needs in front of my own. They will never understand the sacrifices I made for them.
Sitting in my happy place, my thoughts jump around in my head. So many things have happened to me over the years, but I’ve been a strong woman and have overcome as much as I could.
Someday I’ll sit on the beach every day, or, at the very least, every other day. I’m working toward being a full-time writer and editor. Who knows maybe I’ll be writing right here in this spot on the beach that’s my happy place.
About the photo
I found this photo a few months ago when searching for a photo for a blog post over spring break. The perspective makes me see the vast ocean that’s in front of me when I’m standing on the beach.
This photo reminds me of The Keys in Florida or perhaps even the Caribbean. I’ve never been to either of those places, but I’ve seen plenty of photos.