The sea

A friend of mine wrote to me about the North Sea. How its wildness and raw nature can really pull you in, wash away all sorts of anxieties and worries, but also stir up thoughts of the past. And I had this to write in reply:

What I like about the beach is walking on the sand. When it's soft, you sink and have difficult moving on. When it's hard, you can walk comfortably and firmly, and even look behind you to see how long and far you have come. Most of all, you can look back and see where you come from, and perhaps have a little inkling of where you're headed. That, in a life that is often uncertain and sometimes directionless, is a little welcome consolation.

And then there's the sea. Sometimes it's so brave and energetic you cannot but leave feeling that awesome rawness go through you. Sometimes it's so quiet and still you cannot but feel it soothe and clear your mind. And in between these extremes of feelings and thoughts, there are those moments of the future and the past flash by.

I really miss the sea...