Toes Up

Let the confession begin. Yesterday, I missed a posting. Yet, I have a great excuse.

The eastern end of long island is stoking with sweet sunshine and breezes. Small violet and bright orange dune flowers are blooming amid the Spartina grasses topped with their collective purple haze. So I went for a run along the bay side like a mirror of the sky, gave a nod to an osprey out enjoying the updrafts, crossed the highway, and tucked into the thick sandy trail of another great state park. When the trail ended at the ocean, I whispered a small prayer as appropriate and then turned west and continued down the beach.

It was a bit of a slow and steady slog but with waves crashing on one side and dunes on the other and few to zero homo sapiens, it was spectacular to the point of inspiring. The run finishes with a swim in the ocean, like a swift striped bass the plunge in, emerge past the break, drift toes up in the late afternoon glow. Catch a few mellow rollers in. Walk home, untouchable, shake out my bathing suit alongside my soul.