On the Rhythm

Peace comes when our hearts are open like the sky, vast as the ocean.

Jack Kornfield

Flip, flop. Flip, flop.

The sound as my feet hit the sidewalk was a soothing rhythm akin to the gentle waves lapping the shore that were calling me tonight. My well-worn flip flops cradled my feet as I walked the short block to the beach. The night sky was clear of the earlier clouds. Looking up, stars twinkled with Venus and a beautiful crescent moon brightly shining. A faint glimpse of the Milky Way could be detected as my eyes adjusted to the darkness as I stepped onto the sand away from the street lights. My feet free of shoes, my toes curled in the warm sand that had a slight hint of chill on the surface. The night air was calm with a gentle breeze playfully lifting my curls as I walked. Stopping at the water’s edge, I put my hands into the pockets of my sweatshirt to warm them. My fingers brushed a shell fragment I had picked up from the sea at sunset. Its iridescent colors of blues, greens, and purples had caught my eye and I couldn’t resist gathering it to add to what has become a very large collection of treasures I have found these past years gifted from the vast Gulf before me. My fingers rubbed the smooth surface and felt the ridged pattern. Instead of a lamp, I gently stroked the shell and made my wish. Closing my eyes, I breathed deeply in cadence with the surf. Exhaling once more, I opened my eyes and felt peace wash over me. My whole soul relaxed. Turning, I walked back home, this time my bed calling me. Tomorrow was coming all too soon, but now I had the strength to face it.