Gift from the Sea

This past weekend's visit to Cherry Grove Beach, SC, was wonderful.
Relaxing.
Rejuvenating.
Restorative.

The women I went with are beautiful, strong, creative, forgiving, adventurous, loud, funny, and dear friends. Every conversation, meal, prayer, joke, every bit of it was conducted in the language of the angels: Spanish. What fun we had! What a workout my brain got!

What stares we got from our fellow Southerners! I admit I was a little nervous sometimes when our noisy gaggle meandered past people wearing the Confederate flag - yes, people do wear it on their clothing and hats and display it on their towels and vehicles. That's a part of living in the South that still sends shivers up and down my spine. Anyway...



I read and journaled and slept later than usual.
I walked the beach, collected a few shells, took tons of photos, and did a lot of thinking.
I sat mostly in silence on the beach, listening to the conversations my friends had, and trying to discern the response being offered to us by the sea. Is there any sound as soothing or as relaxing as that of the water on a bright, sunny, hot spring day? I'm not sure there is.




It was a fabulous weekend. I soooooo needed the time away. The break. The time with women who I hope will be friends forever. They are mis latinas: Ale, Alejandra, Ana, Zonnia, Doris, Wilmania, and Estela. Gracias por todo hermanas y amigas. Las quiero muchisimo.


Only one thing went wrong all weekend. And it happened within ten minutes of our arrival. I broke a table. Yup, I picked up my bag, hit a glass table top, and watched in horror as it slid off of its perch atop two lovely dolphins onto the tile floor and shatter into too many razor sharp pieces. Can you see the dolphins in the background? I moved them over there so that we could sweep up the mess I'd made. I managed to cut my elbow while cleaning it up. Yes, I cut my elbow. Don't even ask how; that's how uncoordinated I can be at times. Nicely done, Gail. Nicely done. I owe Doris a few dollars to replace it.




So much went right though. Perfectly, in fact.
This sunset is one of the countless things that went splendidly well.