The Water

There is a line from a silly Brad Paisley song that’s getting airplay these days. It goes like this:

Yep. You may hate the song but you can’t disagree with the lyrics. I have always had a love affair with the beach, but now that it is an every day destination for me and my family, I have realized I can’t live without it.
A few days ago I explained that in spite of all the struggles (or maybe because of them)this past year, I have maintained my positive outlook on life. I am almost certain I can credit that outlook to living near the beach. There is something about a salty mist on your face and the feel of sand in your toes that heals what ails ‘ya. Also, when you sit in front of the ocean that is so huge you can’t see it’s end, you are granted automatic perspective. It is hard to feel like anything is too big when you feel so small.
The beach is my cure. The yin to life’s yang. When something isn’t right, the ocean clears my soul. It is hard not to remember to count your blessings when you get to count life at the beach among them.
Last night, I spent some time with a group of moms. We got to talking about our husbands and their commutes-as I find mom’s around here are apt to do whenever they gather. I explained that we picked this part of New Jersey when we moved because it was near the beach. We figured, if The Husband was going to have to commute 90+ minutes, it might as well be toward the ocean at the end of every day. I said that sure enough, that first day of summer as we sat with our ice cold beers near the water his words were, “this makes it all totally worth it.”
At that proclamation one of the mom’s said they have the same experience every summer. Her husband, who also commutes to Wall Street but isn’t “on” Wall Street sits in his beach chair every Memorial Day and is reminded of why he makes that commute every day. Because, like The Husband, for three (or really five)hot and sunny months a year he doesn’t have any commute on Saturday and Sunday when he aches to be near-the water.
Happy Long weekend. I hope yours finds you with a little salt on your cheeks and sand in your toes.
Cheers!