There is something imponderable about the sea – its vastness stretches to the horizon and beyond. On a windy day like today, whitecaps ripple across the surface, distinguishing the faint emerald green of the salt water. Though the sunshine offers little warmth, it glistens upon the sea’s restless mantle. My early morning hesitation is carried away on the briny air, swept off the land behind me and out to sea, vanishing beyond sight.

The coastal landscape is a wild tapestry of towering sea pines, swaying palms, and spiny ferns. Near the dunes, the ground is thick with fallen pine needles before giving way to hardier shrubs and windblown sea grasses. A cedar boardwalk, a marvel of construction in such a remote place, extends toward the ocean. Today, perhaps, it welcomes Valentine lovers’ souls entwined in a story as singular and boundless as the sea itself.

This idyllic setting, like all superlative moments, is merely a fleeting interruption in life’s routine of duties and necessities. The gentle sway of the wooden bench offers only a temporary respite from daily concerns. Yet, however brief, it magnifies the richness of life, expanding its scope and imagination in rhythm with the restless sea. The cool salt air stirs the spirit of adventure, evoking the same allure that has lured sailors and explorers across vast oceans for centuries.

Turning inland once more diminishes that sense of boundless exploration, and with it, the weight of everyday obligations returns. Still, I take comfort in knowing that whenever my mind is clouded by despair, a sojourn by the sea will dissolve my restraints, replenishing my thoughts with the boundless and inexpressible gifts of the ocean.