A day at the beach

A beautiful day begins as the sun rises revealing the perfect blue water. This peaceful scene is accompanied by a melody of waves crashing and seagulls calling. John stands in the white powdered sand and smiles, breathing in the warm salty air. "This is home," he says, as he begins walking down the long stretch of beach along the Florida coast.

The Gulf of Mexico has always been John's favorite spot. He tells endless stories of childhood days where he spent hours building elaborate sandcastles and his only worry was forgetting his boogie board. He originally grew up in Florida and even though his family moved away, in his heart it was always his true home.

John has recently returned to the Florida where he is now attending school. Although he has exchanged his sand shovel and boogie board for academic books and fishing rods, he still has that youthful enthusiasm for the coast.

Wearing only board shorts and aviator sunglasses, he prepares for another long day at the beach. As the sun comes up and the temperature begins to raise so does John's anticipation for the new day. John will be spending today relaxing on top of his outstretched blanket. He has packed a cooler full of water and snacks to be enjoyed throughout the day. His main activity will be reading and studying. John says that the ocean calms his mind, aiding him in working on class material more efficiently.

He also takes time to indulge in his newest and favorite activity, fishing. The Gulf is packed full of interesting wildlife and its diverse species of fish makes it a fisherman’s heaven. Although John considers himself still a student to the sport he demonstrates considerable talent with his rod. His knowledge of the tidal schedules and fish species is quite impressive and he is inept at tying and rigging lines. John doesn't seem to have any luck today but remarks that patience is the key to landing the prize catch.

It is very inspiring to watch John is his place of happiness. It appears that the beach has a therapeutic effect on him as he exudes positive energy. It is impossible not to be overtaken with joy from the beach and John's attitude. I look forward to visiting John again, sharing more time with him at his tropical oasis.