Walking In The Surf…
I don’t think that I could consider myself to be “well traveled”, but this week I had the opportunity to visit Los Angeles again for business. The last time I was in southern California was a couple years ago for my brothers wedding and the time before that was several years ago to go diving. I don’t get to visit California that often but when I do I’m always struck by how much I love the ocean.
Utah will always be at the top of my “places I’d like to live” list, but if there was a way to deal with the downsides of southern California (too many people, polution, cost of living, gang violence, traffic, etc.), I could easily see myself living there. I love the moderate weather and the semi-tropical plant life. And most of all I love the ocean. I love the sound. I love the smell. I love to play in the surf. I love the plant and animal life it holds. While standing on the beach this week looking out over the waves as the sun went down (through an orange haze of smog) I could feel the wind picking up and I could see storm clouds on the horizon. I know what’s on the other side of that “big blue wet thing”, but I couldn’t help but look out and see the end of the world. Now, I’m not talking about the end of the world in an apocalyptic sense, but in a more mid-evil sense of looking out over a gigantic road block. A thing that is mysterious and scary and that demands my respect. A thing that, no matter how I might try, I can never cross. This ancient thing that holds secrets so old and deep that I could never hope to understand them.
There are a few things in life that truly inspire awe and for me, the ocean is one of those things (along with mountains, airplanes and most of all my children). It was a bit heart wrenching to think that I only had a few short hours to walk along in the the Santa Monica surf as the tide came in. It was the highlight of my trip though and I can’t wait to get back and spend some more time at the beach next month when we head down to visit Disney Land. I doubt that I’ll ever live in So Cal, but maybe someday when the west coast falls into the the ocean I’ll move to St George and buy up some beach front property.
