#68: Go for a Long Walk on the Beach

Long walks on the beach have become cliché, but that doesn't mean the cliché wasn't founded in some type of genuine enjoyment. After spending the last week in a beachside condo in the Florida Gulf Islands, I discovered just that. Long walks on the beach are more than a line used to get someone to respond to your personal ad.

This particular walk was taken with my special someone in the evening hours, just as the sky's hues transitioned from twilight's soft blues to nighttime's deep black. The roaring waves muffled our conversation about the hectic schedule that awaited us in Toronto, which we abandoned altogether as the last of the sun's light faded, and the stars lit up one by one in the blackened sky above us. The cold sand squished between our toes as the white-capped water rolled in, inching closer to our dry feet with every flow.

We gave up walking and stationed ourselves in two lounge chairs, and stared up at the stars' infinite constellations. By this point, I was completely absorbed in our surroundings, and managed to immerse myself totally in that moment.

Throughout my stay in Florida, I felt frustrated for transitioning into paradise so easily, and pressured myself into fully appreciating each moment I had anticipated for so long. During that long walk on the beach, however, I was finally able to bottle a moment up and file it in my memory for safekeeping.

Similarly, it will be easy to return to my daily routine and forget about a happy moment like this one, but at least I know I can mentally transport myself back intime to that moment again in the future.

Unfortunately, vacation can't last forever. But I'm sure as hell going to make sure the memory of my long walk on the beach does!