Everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE the beach.

Sun, sand and surf are important elements of my happy place.

I love the rhythmic sound of ocean waves,  the feel of warm sun on my face and soft sand under my bare feet.

Last week I was blessed to visit Amelia Island, Florida (USA), the home of Fernandina Beach, one of the country’s oldest cities.

We had very little beach time while on the island but I made sure to soak up as much ambience as possible!

The day we visited was the last day of an entire week of wind advisories. The Atlantic Ocean was actually relatively calm considering the wind speeds that had persisted the entire week. But the sound and sight of even mild waves was food for my soul.

As I walked along I was very conscience of the damp sand underfoot.  The warmth of the sun was penetrating my bones and warming my spirit.  I came upon several small piles of seashells that had washed ashore and found myself visually pouring over the treasures at my feet.

At one point I stopped surveying the seashells and stood still facing the ocean.  The wind made a mess of my hair and sand stung my legs as it was blown around in a strong gust of wind.

Not one second of that discomfort mattered.  I was in my happy place, being fully mindful, warmed by the sun and refreshed by the sounds and sights of the sea.

Walking back to the lifeguard station I tucked a few seashells in my pocket.

As I reached the beach access point, my pocket now held physical seaside treasures to be taken back to northern Alabama. My mind and spirit held memories of the sights and sounds of that sunny beach. Those memories and seashells enable me to revisit this special place, even if that visit is only in my mind.

Please share your happy place experiences in the comment section.

A larger view of the above image can be found here: