Footprint

On Saturday Brooks and I spent the afternoon at Dee Why beach. There are so many beaches here and I wish to visit them all. Dee Why is one of the Northern Beaches which local people seem to favor. They are quiet and beautiful rather than commercial and bustling.

My friend Holly says it is a strange sort of vacationy life I lead. I agree with her wholeheartedly. I was so excited about spending the afternoon at the beach. We've been on the go with class, conferences, volunteering, work and general life upkeep. Any chance to get out and see more of the world is welcomed with open arms.

It was a perfect day. Sunshine, sand, crashing blue water waves against jutting rock cliffs, quaint surfer town and ocean breeze. I sat in my banana lounger in my long sleeved shirt basking in the sun. Napping in and out of reading my good book. We took a long walk hand in hand on the beach. I liked seeing all the footprints in the sand. Big ones, little ones, chubby ones, skinny ones, bird ones, dog ones, baby ones. When you walk near the water your footprints don't last long. I like watching the water wash over them, making them disappear.

I thought about how life is like that. Here one moment and gone the next. Makes its impression and then it vanishes. A vapor. A mist. A flower. And it made me want to seize the moment, not waste a single second. To build a sand castle in that sand, to run and jump and play and get a little crazy, just let out a hoot. To say the good things I want to say to people even though it might be awkward. To see things I've not yet seen and help people I've not yet helped. It made me want joy everlasting. In the morning, joy. In the day, joy. In the night, joy. Joy in the moment, in the mood, in the meadow, in the sun, in the wind, in the rain. Joy.

• Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.

• You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. James 4:14

At this moment my family is preparing themselves for the shock of a funeral. It is hurting my heart not to be there for them. Sometimes it's just the being there that matters. They are preparing to celebrate a life well lived. A life well loved. To honor a gentle giant. A man who made such a great impression, taken suddenly.

Like we all, a footprint in the sand.