Trip to the Beach!

The worst winter storm Arizona has seen in 17 years has caused Governor Brewer to issue a state of emergency.  There is already 3 feet of snow in the Flagstaff area with 2 to 4 more expected by week's end, terrible flooding in the Valley including a levy breach close to the small town of Wenden, as much as 5 inches of rain in the north valley and between 1 and 2 inches in the Phoenix area, evacuations in Sedona, a rock slide closing I-17 meaning there is no way to drive from Flagstaff to Phoenix, plus a tornado warning in Maricopa County last night with a touchdown recorded in Desert Ridge in northeast Phoenix.  It is still raining at my house in Chandler this morning.

Amidst all of these terrible weather conditions, I thought a trip to the beach might bring us a smile....

 

One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach; one can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few. -Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Don't grow up too quickly, lest you forget how much you love the beach. -Michelle Held

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has courage to lose sight of the shore. -Andre Gide

I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship. - Louisa May Alcott

The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm is terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore. - Vincent van Gogh

The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea. - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

I could never stay long enough on the shore, the tang of the untainted, fresh and free sea air was like a cool, quieting thought. - Helen Keller
   

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.
And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. And He spoke many things to them... - Matthew 13:1-2

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain

and a favorite little poem of mine by ee cummings:


maggie and millie and molly and may


went down to the beach (to play one day)



and maggie discovered a shell that sang


so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles, and



millie befriended a stranded star


who's rays five languid fingers were;



and molly was chased by a horrible thing


which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:

and

may came home with a smooth round stone


as small as a world and as large as alone.



For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)


it's always ourselves we find in the sea.”