July 4, 2012

As for beachtimes

Ah. Beach. We've been going to this island every summer for the past 6 or 7 years for 2 weeks each time - at this frequency, it never gets old. I'm writing this right now in my bathing suit, lying on the sand, on my phone. Finished reading Middlesex by Eugenides yesterday (favorite contemporary author, I trust him to no end) and just started my first Joan Didion. My whole self is mellow, there's no way around it. It's especially weird to think of what I was preoccupied with in recent years here, though. I remember researching colleges on CollegeProwler, doing AP Bio summer homework, tapping out application essay inspiration on my phone.

Things are just so nice. I've been ploughing through books, drinking white wine or a gin and tonic before dinner and, adherent to tradition, frequenting Ben & Jerry's nearly every day. Now, today (Wednesday), I stayed home to chill and heal from some sunburn, but I've just been listening to podcasts and reading Cat's Cradle. I love this place. Life is pretty nice. Four years ago, Katherine and I discussed our high school fears and apprehensions during our long walks up and down the beach, last year we talked about applications and dreams, this year we found ourselves talking about the future again - except this time with more information and plans. Yet still those fears and apprehensions. I guess that's the one thing that will never change.

This place has become such a touchstone. It never changes. There is a routine in place - the beach, the shower, outdoor dinners, games and tv, the occasional morning donut bugs. Late afternoon drinks, long walks on the beach, floating on boogie boards. I love it, I languish in it. And the thing is, if I continued it for more than 2 weeks, I would become sick of it. But to keep coming back here as I keep changing and aging and my life continues its metamorphosis has become a really beautiful and grounding tradition.

No comments:

Post a Comment