The beach is a place where a man can feel
He's the only soul in the world that's real. - Pete Townshend
Wow, we went to the beach on Sunday and it was worth it. Despite having 2 lifetimes worth of stuff to do on Sunday, Linda and I decided to go, given the awesome weather. It was a glorious event, we walked for over an hour, and found some categories of shells that I have never seen in person or prison, on Nature, or in my dreams. There are many aspects of the beach that make it essential, and of course we will analyze them now ad nauseum.
The Air: 'Tis a bit more windy at the beach, and the briny air fills your lungs and makes you feel alive. The whole experience heightens your awareness and relaxes you, therefore I think we breathe more easlily.
The Water: Yes our most ancient ancestors millions of years ago swam out of the sea and put their fins on terra firma and the rest is history. Oops sorry creationists. Perhaps this is why we have such an instinctive connection to water in general, and learn things from it like Siddhartha.
The Sound: Oh the sound of waves crashing on the beach, and kids far away screaming as they are engulfed, dragged out and die. The rhythm, somehow tied to the moon (not Keith, well maybe in Quadrophenia it was ), I am sure connects with our own internal rhythm and soothes, hypnotizes, and teaches us lessons from eons ago.
The Sand: The feeling of warm sand on your feet is one of those feelings that defies description. Running on the beach barefoot feels so natural, and running at the base of the water seems to electrify your cardio system and give you energy.
The Smell: The smell of the salt air permeates one's senses, and I can smell the mustard on that brat's third hot dog. "Mom I wanted Dr. Pepper, not Coke. Take it back!" Smack!
Here by the sea and sand
Nothing ever goes as planned. - Pete Townshend
As a teenager where else could you sleep all night and not get bothered? The beach.
As a kid growing up in New Jersey, "The Shore" was pretty much the only place we went on vacation.
And now, we are so lucky to live just 15 minutes away.
In conclusion I will say that as a teenager, everything seemed possible in life, while listening to the waves crash on the shore. Now that I am about halfway done (50 years old), I can say that life makes more sense, and the past seems kinder, and the future brighter "at the beach".
Some nights I still sleep on the beach
Remember when stars were in reach. -Pete Townshend
Keep the Faith y'all !
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Spring Where are You?
Please don't fret New Yorkers, it won't be long now. The snow and freezing conditions will soon give way to warmer weather and rain and mud. Don't you feel better now? Seriously this has been a trying winter, but this time of year is exciting. Why? Because it is filled with promise and expectation. Spring literally signifies life in terms of the growing season, and for me mentally, it is also a new beginning. Although the calendar starts in January, life as we know it begins with Spring. We start to venture out of our house with regularity, encounter neighbors who ignore us, and realize that in fact there's a lot more seeding to be done than we had hoped.
So in honor of Stravinsky's "le Sacre du Printemps" I present "The Rites of Spring":
1) Biking: It all starts here with abbreviated rides that still prove to me that I am out of shape. I will miss Al, who still needs some fixing, but I have my new young JeeP mountain bike, who likes to be addressed as "JP".
2) Cleaning the garage: Hard to believe how much stuff can accumulate over the winter, but a good Spring cleaning heals all wounds and provides "gumption" leading to many other tasks that cause severe thirst necessitating a cold beer while sitting on your open truck bed door.
3) Cleaning the shed: Yes this is an annual favorite, providing yet more gumption and the knowledge that various animals have been living in very same shed.
4) Lawn Seeding: this is actually an Olympic event in certain Westchester suburbs, but only for illegal aliens, usually of Mexican descent. Ah yes, did I not say that Spring represents "hope", in the expectation of a luxurious carpet of grass, which during that first seeding seems like such a sure bet. Our hopes are fulfilled as the green blades emerge, only to be dashed by that damn landscaper who won't stop trimming until he hits paydirt.
5) The Beach: As a kid growing up so far from "the Shore" the ocean has always represented life, magic and hope for me. Of course since we now live 10 minutes away, we never go. This is one of the rites I will not compromise on, as Linda and I will be headed to the ocean at the first sign of 55 degrees.
Could this possibly be the total list, my avid readership asks, is something not amiss? Of course with spring the cycle of life and knowledge begins again. My appenticeship begins anew, and I empty my cup, becoming the clean slate upon which my Basil teachers will write their lessons. It is a dilemma, this hibernation that occurs with the latter seasons. I have forgotten so much that they had taught me, but by their absence they have forced me to live and learn on my own.
Hopefully by this post finds you all ready to welcome Spring and all of the surprises, challenges, mystery and wonder that this season of life will bring. One morning soon I will awake to the sound of that bird just outside my bedroom window and I will know that Spring has sprung.
Keep the Faith!
So in honor of Stravinsky's "le Sacre du Printemps" I present "The Rites of Spring":
1) Biking: It all starts here with abbreviated rides that still prove to me that I am out of shape. I will miss Al, who still needs some fixing, but I have my new young JeeP mountain bike, who likes to be addressed as "JP".
2) Cleaning the garage: Hard to believe how much stuff can accumulate over the winter, but a good Spring cleaning heals all wounds and provides "gumption" leading to many other tasks that cause severe thirst necessitating a cold beer while sitting on your open truck bed door.
3) Cleaning the shed: Yes this is an annual favorite, providing yet more gumption and the knowledge that various animals have been living in very same shed.
4) Lawn Seeding: this is actually an Olympic event in certain Westchester suburbs, but only for illegal aliens, usually of Mexican descent. Ah yes, did I not say that Spring represents "hope", in the expectation of a luxurious carpet of grass, which during that first seeding seems like such a sure bet. Our hopes are fulfilled as the green blades emerge, only to be dashed by that damn landscaper who won't stop trimming until he hits paydirt.
5) The Beach: As a kid growing up so far from "the Shore" the ocean has always represented life, magic and hope for me. Of course since we now live 10 minutes away, we never go. This is one of the rites I will not compromise on, as Linda and I will be headed to the ocean at the first sign of 55 degrees.
Could this possibly be the total list, my avid readership asks, is something not amiss? Of course with spring the cycle of life and knowledge begins again. My appenticeship begins anew, and I empty my cup, becoming the clean slate upon which my Basil teachers will write their lessons. It is a dilemma, this hibernation that occurs with the latter seasons. I have forgotten so much that they had taught me, but by their absence they have forced me to live and learn on my own.
Hopefully by this post finds you all ready to welcome Spring and all of the surprises, challenges, mystery and wonder that this season of life will bring. One morning soon I will awake to the sound of that bird just outside my bedroom window and I will know that Spring has sprung.
Keep the Faith!
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