Myrtle 3

Going back in history again, the date is still January 3rd and after checking out the beachfront, I went back inside the condo because the cold was starting to seep through my light jacket and knit hat. The Spice and I prepared b’fast and consumed the same – and yes, grits were involved. Of late I seem to have an affinity for jams of different sorts and some of this sweetness was also in the mix.

We determined to do a bit of shopping, so we got ready after a while and set forth into the fray. We made several stops, picked up several items and even made another grocery stop for things we thought of since the last trip. When we got back to the condo the sun was just going down, so we hurried to dress warmly and set out for a cold beach walk. The temp dropped rapidly but we were dressed for it and just enjoyed the walking and talking together for about 30 minutes.

When we set out, the painters were still there and the beach was thickly populated with gulls. By the time we returned the painters and gulls had departed to places unknown. We came back in, thawed out, had a bite to eat and just relaxed for the evening. The Spice read and I watched another bowl game until we finally crashed for the night.

We awoke on the morning of January 4th in the same condo and with the temp still very cold. We broke the fast in much the same way as the day before and grits were included again. Grits are not my usual morning fare but on such adventures as this, if they are available, they do get consumed. We dressed for the cold again and went out on the beach.

We had walked north the night before and this day we headed south. It was cold but thankfully the wind had dropped to a breeze. The sun was bright and not a cloud was overhead, only a few bands on the eastern horizon. We have been to this location when the water was a rather angry looking brown but today it was the proper blue-green and beautiful – should that be called sea green?

It was an idyllic place for walking because the tide was out and the beach was wide and almost flat. The waves were about 2-3 feet and the sound effects were very calming and peaceful. This particular stretch of sand bordered many private residences with only an occasional condo or motel. Not far out in the water a pelican dove from the height of about 20 feet to try to catch a fish for lunch. I couldn’t tell if it was successful or not but it spoke to me of God’s methods of provision for His creations.

All along the beach the gulls were in evidence just at the edges of the waves, some in groups and some just standing alone, as though they had been bad and were in time-out. Waves are the very symbols of turmoil and unrest but as we walked along with these symbols crashing into sand, they were only speaking peace to my soul.

Certain sections of the sand were covered with many shell fragments of all sizes and as we walked along they popped and crunched beneath our feet. These shells were once part of an organism that was vibrant and alive and these broken pieces are all that is left. This reminded me of all the ones gone before us and we are now walking in what they left behind – this could even include our tenets of faith. Will the world we leave behind be a better place to walk or just more littered with what we discarded - in a physical and spiritual sense? ec