Isn’t it amazing the way an idea can come to us! Sometimes, it will hit you like a tonne of bricks, and make you gasp from the sudden spurt of inspiration. Other times, an idea will start small, and develop with time. Like a seed growing into a majestic, magnificent tree!

That’s the way my idea came to me. Like a seed, and it grew. The task at hand was to do a creative writing piece. The prompt; a short video of soft waves, lapping the shore at sunset.

It made me think of a picture I took the other day, whilst going for a stroll along the beach. Short and sweet, here is the story I came up with.

Beautiful Moments

I sit on the sand, with my feet extended, letting the waves roll up the beach and lap at my toes. This is my favourite thing to do. Just to sit, with my hands buried in the sand. With my eyes closed, listening to the waves. It calms me.

The ocean is an amazing place. Powerful and dangerous, yet so beautiful and serene. There is so much life there. Yet, all that life, it can all be taken away so easily. Just as if someone has flicked a switch. The once gentle, rolling ocean can change, and develop a savage, angry, destructive nature.

The tide is coming in, I can feel the waves reaching higher and higher up my calves. I shuffle back again, now the waves are only just reaching my ankles. God knows how long I have been sitting here. 20 minutes? 40 minutes? An hour? The sun is lower now. In half an hour it will be completely gone. I stretch my legs and stand up, I have to start heading back.

I walk slowly along the water’s edge, watching the waves lap the shore. I ponder as I walk.

There is so much we don’t know about the sea. So many great depths we haven’t explored. So much life, beautiful life we have yet to discover. But, do we really need to. We have already destroyed the land. Influenced with all our houses and suburbia. What would happen to the ocean then, if we went and explored, revealing all its secrets? Would we learn from our mistakes? Or would we do the same as we did with the land, destroying all of its natural beauty. Altering its landscapes to our own, selfish needs.

I exit my trance, and look up. I’ve walked too far. The sun, balances on the water, glowing golden against the deep saphire of the ocean. I become caught in the moment, fixated at the wonderous view. I should keep walking, I’ll be late otherwise. But I don’t. I stop and savour the moment. I see this every day, yet the view never fails to amaze me.

When the sun is almost gone, and the light is fading, I make my way back. Sad to leave, but content nonetheless. Beautiful. That’s the only word I can use to describe those few moments. Absolutely, naturally, and utterly beautiful.

I find the beach is a beautiful place to go to and just…be. To wander, swim, or sit and watch the sunset. To ponder ideas and contemplate life, or to let go of all your thoughts, emotions, troubles, and to just Zen.  There is something truly breathtaking about the beach that never fails to leave me awestruck. Whether it be the way the waves catch the light of the setting sun or how the current makes patterns in the water. Whatever it be, there is hardly a time when I leave the beach without feeling very, very content.

So, there you have it. My very first blog post! I hope you all enjoyed.

Yours faithfully,

Grace