What makes a beach special?

After spending a wonderful long weekend at my brother's house in Wildwood Crest, I wondered what made a beach special.

To be honest, when I first started dating my wife, I could not really tolerate the beach. Still together 22 years of marriage later, I look back and realize how much that has changed. To me, it was just an oversized parking lot of sand with some salty water running through it. I couldn't stand being there for more than an hour. And in that hour, I found myself building a sandcastle, jumping in the waves, and then searching for some overpriced ice cream. After that hour, I was ready to go.....and then something changed.

I had my son.

And I found myself starting to appreciate what the beach was. To a 3-year-old, it was a foreign oasis of a granular substance that seemed to get into every crevice possible, but to me, it was kind of magical. My son loved the waves, building in the sand, and just exploring everything that the beach and ocean had to offer. I found myself constantly busy—building sandcastles with him, chasing waves. It really was a special time.

Now that my son is 16, he no longer builds sandcastles. But...he still loves to chase waves.

This last week, I found myself in there with him, chasing waves and marveling at the power the ocean had. When I wasn't chasing waves, I was sitting in a chair, enjoying the breeze and just spending time with my brother's family and my own. I found myself watching others on the beach as well. The little kids running wild, parents quickly racing behind...making sure nothing went awry.

That is when it dawned on me. The beach offers everyone something a little different.

As the years go by, the beach is still that one constant. The memories are part of what makes it special to me. Remembering the fond times that I spent there with my son and family. Now it is a comfort to me. I found just lying in the waves changed my whole energy. Feeling the power of the ocean is really something.

It is crazy thinking about it, but every day I went to the beach. Every single day I went in the ocean.

That is what the beach means to me. Why it is so special. It is never changing, but offers a trip back to memory lane every time you visit it.

That is why I luvthabeach.

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you find something you were looking for. Please share any memories you have. We would love to hear them.