Car parked on hot gooey asphalt.

As we step out, the sun beats down in musical rays.
Once the concrete meets the sand we release our feet
from the chains of our shoes.

The beauty of Lake Michigan is immense.

Look ahead!
Wild as children
the waves twirl and somersault to create cotton white foam.
Sailboats glide as elephants on ice skates.
The gulls cut through the earth’s air with grace.

We walk closer to the glossy water, finding the perfect spot to set up camp.
I lie on my Disney-princess-themed towel, watching this musical place and appreciating God’s creativity.
Her eyes must have sparkled while creating this place.
Who else could have orchestrated this location of such
harmony?

This haven’s smell is of seaweed and sweet fish scales tickling the nose.
To my right by the pier, artists and photographers document the lighthouse.
White with thick blood red stripes.
A smooth texture with small bumps where the paint bubbled.

To my left children laugh in glee as they make a small kingdom of sand castles.
Grains of sand morph into towers, moats, and strong walls
complete with decorations of seashells and colorful stones.
In time, the music becomes even stronger.

In a grand finale the sun bleeds lustful red, dangerous orange, and the sweet yellow of life.
The shadows of the boats cruise back to the harbor.
The water becomes smooth as the waves fall asleep.
The sun grows dim until it disappears with a wink behind the horizon,
leaving us in a lullaby of a light darkness.

The fireflies light our way home.
Leaving us to dreams of mermaids and the texture of sand on our skin cells.

Until the next beach day we wait.

Relephant: 

Lessons From the Sea.

Author: Hannah Seelman

Editor: Khara-Jade Warren

Image:  Holly Lay/ Flickr