Jones Beach, October 26th

At first it felt odd to walk on the beach when the air is cool.

For years I’ve only been when the sand is heated by summer and burnt my soles.  

But he took me there in October. We wore sweaters and huddled from the wind. 

We talked about the future, the past and the present. I couldn’t help but imagine the grey haired couple with linked hands could be us someday. 

I let my shoes fill with sand and ran from the waves. Seagulls covered the sky. They squawked and flew and dove as a flock. I wondered if they were aunts, uncles and cousins. 

I knelt to touch the sand and packed it into a crumbled point. I scooped it when it was saturated with saltwater to let it drip through my fingers. I stuck on shells like they were stickers. He wandered away to bring me back some more. I wrote our names in the sand and we placed our handprints side by side. 

I felt at peace at the beach. He didn’t say it, and without even asking, he brought me to a place where my soul could recharge.