Living by the Sea

I'm finally joining Linda's Wednesday Wit and Wisdom again. The challenge is to post a picture, then write a short story or a poem about the picture as a writing exercise. Of course my picture was taken during our vacation in Oregon. 

She loved the early mornings at the beach, when she had the long and wide stretch of sand almost to herself. There were only a few dog walkers around, usually with big dogs who loved to chase the seagulls and run into the water to retrieve a ball. Every now and then one would come to her, sniffing her out, get a pet on the head and return to its owner. She loved to watch them and witness their joy of life.

Every time she came to the beach she found some new treasure – an empty crab shell, a seastar, a beautiful piece of driftwood, clusters of barnacles. The oyster catchers danced around in the low water and the seagulls were yelling, always yelling. Could they ever be quiet?

She wondered what it was like to live by the sea. To have a little cottage on the cliff. First thing in the morning would be to walk at the beach. In the night she would listen to the waves crashing on the sand. It was music in her ears. She wondered what it was like to be in a storm, in the safety of your home, watching out over the grey and wild ocean while the wind was rattling around the corners with an eerie sound.

Was life different when you lived by the sea? Was it more laid back? Did some things just cease to be important? Would you live more according to the tides? Would you spend hours watching for whales to appear, scanning the sea to see their spout? Would life be more slowly? Have a deeper sense? Would you be more content?

She felt this stir in her soul, the wish to break out of her daily routine and opt for a slower life. A life that was dominated  by nature and not by money and working hours. A simpler life with just the things you needed for a basic life, not the things you wanted but didn’t really need.

She sighed and watched the dog running along the waterline, jumping for joy. So carefree and without a worry. She would have a dog if she lived here. Perhaps two. Big dogs. What was keeping her from this dream? She was free.

She would go to the real estate place she had seen the day before. And then to the animal shelter.