Beach Walk

After the beach walk, I got cleaned up and we went down to Murrell's Inlet for dinner, another tradition. Mother loves Nance's, and we eat there every time we go down. It's about an hour down to Nance's from where we're staying, but when we got there, I remembered why we always go. It's a pretty no-nonsense, family kind of place where they concentrate more on good food than on fancy decor or pretty plates. I had as fresh, moist, and fat a piece of flounder as I have ever eaten, and my oysters were perfectly done, as usual. They have upgraded from the old crinkle-cut fries they used to serve - the ones I had tonight were much better. Mom had crab cakes that were fat, moist, and perfectly spiced. They have gone to "market price" on the crab legs she usually has and they oyster platter I usually get; and they have taken out the old check-out stand. The waitresses take your checks up now. The prices have gone up a bit. But it is still remarkably the same, and some of the best and most reliable seafood on the strand, in my opinion. It was an excellent meal.

We took the scenic route home, driving up the coast and looking at all the new hotels and beach houses, and remembering the old ones. We shared memories brought back by places we had stayed. The strip is changing. The old mom and pop places are being taxed out of existence, and in their place these huge Las Vegas-style behemoths are being built. I hate to see it. I love the quirky, tacky old strand. But I suppose it's progress. I just hate to see all the personality go. In 20 years, it will look just like anywhere else.

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The view of the beach part of the condos by night, as taken from the beach.

Sun setting further

Sun setting

Wow, another really bad pic of me on the beach.

This one is bad too, but I had taken like 20 (I was trying to take them myself) and got tired of fooling with it.

View of the beach.

It's the tradition that every year we get out and walk on the beach. Unfortunately, Mom wasn't up to coming with me today after all the walking we did. She stayed in the room and rested while I did it.

I truly believe that every person should stand beside the ocean at least once a year. It restores perspective on how small you are in the scheme of things, and how petty your day-to-day concerns really are to the world. It's pretty humbling. Because of that, I also think you should take at least one person who cares for you along for that perspective adjustment.

I always step back to the big picture of my life on these walks. I can remember wondering, when things were failing with Michael, if that is all there is for me. If that was my destiny, and what life had in store.

I can remember on the trip after we broke up, thinking on the walk that there was great comfort in the waves. To see that it went on - that the world wasn't ending. I stood and watched the waves that year for a long time, thinking about all that they had washed away, and wishing they would wash away my pain and confusion.

This year, I felt small and insignificant. I felt acutely that I had no one to walk beside me. The timelessness of the waves emphasized my own mortality. I can remember playing on these beaches as a child, and reflected on how little they have changed while I am now growing old. Mom wasn't able to come today because of arthritis. I feel that my time to find happiness is finite, and passing.

I feel as if I shall always be alone.