I hope that one day, after many visits,

I look like those trees worn by the coastline.

I hope you see salt at the corner of my eyes

and know that I laughed those wrinkles into my face.

I hope that when you hear the waves in my raspy breath,

you know that I have been singing love songs to the ocean this entire time.

I hope that I dance through life the way that this long grass moves in every direction — gracefully and chaotically.

I hope that when I cry, you can smell the ocean on me,

and know that I loved generously and with my whole heart.

And lastly, I hope when you watch this seagull fly into the orange sunset sky,

that you think of love, of life, and this gift of time.