Dear Graham,
Our evening beach walk was later than usual. We usually go out at 4:00, but tonight it was closer to 5:00. And that one hour made all the difference.
The tide was low, allowing us to walk far along the flat, wet sand. We wandered for miles to the east, picking up shells and wading through the shallow warm water. We explored tide pools and peered into crevices where broken shells were caught between the rocks. A man found the perfect place by the sea, just close enough to shore for the gentle waves to brush over him. The perfect evening saltwater bath.
And then we saw one of the most spectacular sights we have ever witnessed.
An army of hundreds of tiny crabs crawled across the sand in regimented order, each carrying a beautiful shell on its back. Some shells were delicate spirals, others smooth and rich brown like snail shells. Every shell was unique and charming. The parade of dancing crabs scuttled across the beach while we stood over them watching in pure delight.
We have seen these little crabs before in their spiral shells scattered along the shore. Their shells are like tiny gems, and we are always tempted to pick them up and keep them. But we have a rule: if there is a critter inside, we leave it alone. We will not disturb them just to take their shell. We leave the little guys to rest safely in their tiny shell homes.
But tonight was different. The crabs were everywhere, hurrying across the sand with their shells perched on their backs. It was a great scurry, as if they all knew something we didn’t. They were making their way up the beach, away from the water and toward the sand dunes, racing to disappear into safety before the tide returned.
And then we turned to walk home.
We were a good mile and a half from our destination, and the sun was beginning to set. It hung in the sky like a great golden ball while the clouds softened into shades of pink. The water turned silvery blue, reflecting the sky above it, and the thin sheet of water covering the sand mirrored the gold, pink, and blue until ocean, beach, and sky seemed to dissolve into one glowing world of light.
I wished I could have captured it with a paintbrush, or at least with my phone’s camera, but I had neither paint nor brush, and my phone was resting in its cradle at home.
So instead, I let the moment settle deep into my heart and mind. And even now, as I sit here writing to you, I can still see it clearly.
With love,
CC
