The Salt Cure

“The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.” I agree with Isak Dinesen and of those options, I prefer the sea. I believe it is not only a cure, but excellent preventive medicine.

Last week we drove south until we ran into the Gulf of Mexico. It was only a short escape, but a refreshing one. We got up to the sunrise (pictured above – you may have to log on to the website to see it), and went walking on the beach at the ocean’s edge before breakfast both mornings. I love walking barefoot with the waves lapping at my toes, or standing still to have the waves gently pull the sand out from under my feet. Going early in the morning meant it wasn’t too warm to walk down to the water barefoot. No shoes to carry so you could hold hands!

After breakfast, we sat on the beach chair safely ensconced under the umbrella (where we still got a little pink) and soaked in the salt air, the sound of the waves, and people watched. I had a notion about a new story that I worked on in that glorious setting. People watching did play into some of my character development. It was wonderful because Jim was right beside me so I could ask legal questions for my story. I wasn’t interrupting anything, but the people watching.

We talked about why being at the beach is so soul satisfying. Jim says it is because it is constant. It has been there for countless millennia and still is. In a world where so few things are that reliable, I believe he’s right. The hurricanes may blow through and rearrange things, and new, taller condos crowd the shore, but the sea is the same. The salt air is the same. The glory of creation unfolds before you every morning.

Wishing you a salt cure, from the sea, in your future. Enjoy!