#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

Day before departure

We wake and meet in the kitchen for our last beach walk together on this trip, my friend an I. We make it long; the sky is fresh and the ocean too. The sand is hard, perfect for walking. The next time we walk a beach together is likely months away, but we are grateful for all we’ve had here. She says, I want to see the beach at night. We haven’t done that yet. We have passed a bonfire from someone’s night before, smouldering on the shore. We say, yes, let’s see the stars tonight. We go out for breakfast. Frank is working til noon. A little shopping and then the short walk home. On the last day, everything is goodbye. Goodbye lovely walk through the reserve. Goodbye Rosie’s breakfast on the terrace. In the afternoon, Frank and I have lunch together, relax by the pool. Goodbye pool. And, out to dinner after packing, meet our other friends and drive up into the hills to a hotel overlooking the beach and countryside, and a lovely, last dinner, altogether. We drive home, remembering our desire to see the beach at night, and stop. It’s pitch black, except the stars. We lie down and gaze up at the brilliance. A hush comes over all of us. Awesome awesome night sky, sound of surf and crickets. Goodbye beach. Stars, they will be with us in our sky at home too.