walk this way

As pleasant as my garden is, life goes on outside of it.

I am reminded of that every time I poke my head out my gate.  Like some sombreroed hedgehog.

A couple of evenings ago I wandered down to the beach.  Even though I live within four blocks of the shore, I get there only every couple of months or so.

But each time I go, it is a new adventure.  Admittedly they are small "a" adventures.  But adventures, nonetheless.

The Mexican school summer holiday began a couple of weeks ago.  So, our beaches are alive.

Families with coolers.  Children in our sand-swirling, stomach-churning waves.  Young women with babies watching their young men on skim boards or playing  the "I'm-the-star-the-rest-of-you-are-crimping-my-style" version of Mexican football.

With all of that activity, I managed to catch the photograph at the top of this post.

The girl had been watching the skim boarder artfully practicing his sport.  On one trip up the beach, she ran to him with a bit of coconut husk.

My writer instincts kicked in.  Who was she?  A crush-smitten stranger?  His sister?  His daughter?

Whoever she was, and whatever narrative she was living, the emotional spark between the two of them was enough to make my evening.  With that simple glance between the two of them.

But a glance that says -- You are special.  Thank you for letting me walk your path.