People Watching.

I wrote this on the beach the other day.

I'm sitting at the beach now. It's off and on slightly overcast and really sunny. And to the right of me there are darker sections in the sky, like maybe some rain clouds are a'brewin'. I love people watching on the beach. It's fun anywhere, but it's especially relaxing on the beach.

I love the families equipped with a plethora of beach toys for the youngsters. I love how I didn't bring music or head phones so I could concentrate on the waves, but there is almost always one person dj'ing from their beach towel, so I can bob my head a little after-all. I love the leathered old men duos who sit in their chairs, side by side, talking about life and how it's changed...and how it's stayed the same. Hearing them say, "I love my mama, I'll tell you that. She would've loved this vacation." Who then venture down to the water together and float, how only slightly heavyset older men can.

I love the kids desperately trying to get their kite off the ground. I love the bronzed older men who look as if they've never spent a day off the beach in their entire lives. I love the beach games- shovels and buckets for younger boys and girls, footballs and frisbees for the older ones. I love the man who walks along the beach with a metal detector and the one who picks up all the recyclables.

I love the old couples- slow walking and wrinkled, who've felt more life in their feet than mine can even imagine thus far. And how he still waits for her and holds her waist, so she doesn't stumble on a sand dune, while she intently watches the little children who run up to the edge of the water and quickly retreat, giggling, when the sea touches their toes. I love the stand-up paddlers. (I want to try that SO bad...and WILL soon)! I love the child who insists on burying himself and his brother in the sand, and the mom who laughs with them and takes pictures, even though she knows it's going to be a nightmare for her car. I love the hot moms in bikinis, I want to be one of them one day.

I love the man who asked me, "How's the water today?" and then struck up a conversation with me about film school, The Doors and Sylvester Stallone, and then handed me a coin from Ireland (1968), said a little prayer on it and deemed it "my lucky coin". I want to make a necklace out of it. And as if that wasn't cool enough, his kindness went further, asking if he could bring anything back from the snack bar for me... also adding that I really need to see Back to the Future, so that I'll get the "You are my density, Destini" joke (and besides, it's just "a really great picture").

It's amazing what can happen for you when you change your mindset.

In moments like this, I feel like my lost "no worries" lifestyle might not be as far as I thought.

I wonder where this man came from. We talked for quite a bit, about Florida vs. California beaches. He said nothing's quite as calm and peaceful as Florida beaches, especially in this area, and I agreed. We talked about how sad it was what happened to Michael J. Fox, and we talked about family and what my parents did. When I told him about my dad (or lack thereof), he said, "Wow, that's a shame...he really missed out on a gem." He told me my mom raised me right because I was very sweet, waved to me, and walked down the beach, along the water, until I completely lost sight of him.

Oh anonymous beach angel, thank you for your visit today. It made my whole month.