This isn’t it! Okay, I will admit that I am so very thankful for all the beauty that surrounds me. Today I went to visit a relative who lives a few counties north of me on another beach.
Anyway, with every adversity there is a seed of equivalent or greater benefit. So, here’s the thing. I suppose if you own a business on the beach this is a great time of year. With the catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, it seems that this year more folks are heading to the Atlantic. Unless something is done in the next week or so to stop the oil flow in the Gulf, our beaches will be doomed, too. In fact, as much as I hate to sound like a pessimist I am expecting to see oil on our beaches by mid-August at the latest. Sooner or later the loop current in the Gulf is going to usher the oil around Florida and right up to my front door.
In the meantime, I guess I am longing for the past. Geez. I know I am really sounding like an old lady today. But, the beach in the picture above was almost empty when I was a kid. We used to ride horses along this very shoreline and never had to worry about stepping on anyone. Today there are no horses on the island, no room for them. People are taking over.
I can remember catching dinner with my family and cooking it on the beach. Today there is an umbrella where we used to dig a hole in the sand and start a fire. You can’t have a fire on the beach now.
I really do not mean to sound ungrateful today or so nostalgic. Thinking of all those people along the Gulf who are about to give up their lifestyle because of the oil spill is depressing. And, as crowded as our beaches have become and as much as has changed, I am still thankful that our beaches are clean… so far. You see, there is always something to be thankful for, even if it has changed over the years. As long as we can share the beauty and enjoy the beach, we won’t mind sharing with the tourists. I guess we just do not want to share our beaches with oil companies or oil spills.
