I need to walk beside the sea

As I stepped over jellyfish, avoided beach puddles, wrapped my cardy tight against the wind and let go of all sounds but the sound of mother ocean, I had no choice but to let go of some of the tension in my body and my mind. If I had continued to let myself get absorbed in my feelings, I wouldn't have been able to walk.

That's one of the good things about the natural world: you have to pay attention. You have to.


A friendly spaniel approached me to show me her ball and stood next to me as if for some kind of emotional support. I had to say hello. Another dog - looking just like a teddy bear ran around throwing its own ball and making me giggle.

My arms loosened by my sides and I swung my camera by my side. I thought about why I felt like I did today. I thought about that strange expression: "Overshare".
I need to share. I can't keep things inside, bottled up, hidden, unsaid. I thought about a drawing Gemma had done of a girl who held out her own heart in her hand. That's me. I feel like a girl with nothing to hide and emotions on tap; not vulnerable, not desperate, not opening up too much, not pleading for help; just wanting to be me, wanting to be honest, wanting to be deep, not knowing how to be any other way and confused by everyone else's surfaces and skimming; talking about white water but not what causes it.

The sea says 'It's okay to be you. Look how deep and complicated I am.'

And I walked on and I felt simple again.