Field Note Friday, Edition 001: The Beach Is Always Further Away Than You Remember

Every time, I forget.

I pull into the parking lot convinced that this time I've packed smarter, with less stuff, in a more efficient system. I poo-poo those who are clearly much smarter than me and have wagons - who needs that much stuff? I think. It's just the beach.

And every time, I find myself making the same slow procession across the sand.

A chair under one arm. A beach bag sliding off the other shoulder. Towels falling out of the bag. Snacks. Water bottles. The beach blanket. A sweatshirt "just in case." Someone has probably already announced they're thirsty or need to pee. I may or may not have already displayed evidence of shortened patience.

The beach stretches out ahead.

Farther. Always farther.

And yet, somehow, nobody ever turns around.

That's because the walk is part of it.

You feel the sand warmed by the sun against your bare feet the moment you kick off your shoes to slip into something more comfortable: the Earth itself. The scent of beach roses carried by the breeze brings back memories of simpler times. The sound of children playing, gulls shouting, and the steady rhythm of the waves as they kiss the shore set the mood.

Before you set your things down, you know that you've already arrived.

Not at the beach, though that is a bonus.

You know you have arrived at the unique, relaxed feeling of summer.

The funny thing is that years from now, nobody will remember how much they carried to the beach. They will remember finding the perfect shell. They'll remember cold watermelon from a cooler and ice cream on the way home. They remember the way the ocean looked like diamonds that day. They remember their family and friends, smiling, laughing, and playing. They remember belonging.

They remember being there.

You know, that's true of more things than beach days.

Some of life's best moments come with a long walk carrying more than we expected.

Field Note No. 01

The beach is always farther away than you remember.

And always worth the walk.

—

See you somewhere between low tide and sunset,

Stephanie