There is nothing more exhilarating and yet calming, exciting and yet peaceful than being on the beach in the cold weather. The colder the weather gets, the better the beach gets. Our beaches in Maine are never too crowded compared to beaches in warmer climates, even in the summer, but often I feel that one more person than me constitutes a crowd. I make an exception for the horses.
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| Looking for treasure. |
The wind is piercingly cold on the beach at this time of
year, even though we haven’t reached winter yet and the best is yet to come. It’s a good idea to wear a couple of layers
of clothes and a warm coat, even if there’s no snow on the ground yet. The wind can cause hypothermia very
quickly. But where are all the
people? Can it be they do not like the
cold? I should count myself lucky that
they do not.
When the weather gets cold and the tide goes out, all of the
sea treasures appear. Sand dollars,
shimmering shells, and polished sea glass all glint on the shore, waiting to be
claimed or taken back by the ocean as the case may be. The real magic, though, is in the cool fresh
air and the brilliant sun. Even though
the Sun King’s powers have diminished greatly elsewhere, and we all run willy-nilly searching for his bounty, here on the beach he still rules. His reflection is seen in the shimmering
water, shining like a secret horde of pirate’s treasure.
The important things in life still cannot be bought. It’s strange, though, isn’t it? Winter is the time when the beach is at its
most glorious, when the ferocity of wind and surf take your breath away, when
the vast beauty of nature makes you realize just how small you are. Small, but loved. And this is the time when people do not come,
forgoing their chance at gathering eternal treasure.
