The white sand glistens like fairy dust,
And coats my feet as I claim my spot.
Adjusting my towel, I inhale the scent of coconut sun screen
As it mixes with the salty air to form the perfume I crave.

The sun is a child’s drawing of a happy face,
And its warmth flows over me like syrup.
Tiny droplets appear on my water bottle and
Drip into the sand.

My muscles soften, and my brain slows.
My hands begin to open, relaxing the fists I had when I arrived.
The magic begins.

Diving for fish, the gulls call to each other,
Speaking a language known only to them.
The rhythmic crash of the waves is a symphony,
The wind, its conductor.
Giggles and delighted squeals provide the background music.

Boats and dolphins mingle on the horizon,
Their colorful sails and black fins
painting a portrait seen only from afar.

My muscles relax, and my brain grows quiet.
My hands are calm, and my thumbs are not searching for letters
Or music or friends.
The magic continues.

Sand crabs scuttle sideways, searching for their homes.
Kites ride the breeze like surfers.
Surfers are pulled to shore by an unseen force
Called tide, like metal to a magnet.

The ocean opens her palm and deposits shells at my feet,
As if she were delivering perfects diamonds to the shore.
The images begin to blur.

My muscles are jello, and my brain is calm.
Silent butterflies curve my mouth into a smile.
Peace has arrived.