The Beach, Remembered

Just three blocks away was the beach. We spent a lot of time there as children. On sunny days in the summer, and frozen harbor days in the winter. I could see the beach from the parlor window. Each morning, I would look East, just before daybreak, to catch the sun rising, appreciating the beauty of another morning.

On calmer days my friends and I would walk the edge of the surf. We would encounter washed up jellyfish and horseshoe crabs. The seaweed along the low tide mark was always dark green and filled with driftwood and shells. Clams would constantly shoot up water, making their location an easy spot for digging. Some days were spent at the beach with family including cousins. The Red Sox game would be on someone's radio. There would be snacks of Oreo cookies, potato chips, and tonic. The water was always cold, even on hotter days. It was a nice way to cool off fom the summer's heat.

Years later, an ice skating rink opened. Another reason to go to the beach. On winter days, no one was around and the harbor was sometimes frozen. One time, we walked across the harbor to the yacht club on the other side. Surprised to this day, that none of the five adventurous boys, never fell through the ice.

The smell, the sounds, and the beauty of the beach remains deep in the memory of my soul.