There’s no reason to go anywhere

I walk the coast – a mere 10 minute drive

A cloudy day in the fall

It’s cold but not too much to bear

Out here I feel so small

The horizon looks like a painting

Periwinkle backdrop with scattered gray clouds

My Golden retriever frolics in the waves

Reminding me to be in the here and now

Me and my dog are alone out here

I stand between two bridges that are miles at bay

They take people away

All the residents who own these fancy coastal houses – where are they

Behind a desk somewhere or maybe underground

I look out to the water as there’s a sound

A gray fin slices through

Suddenly there’s a dozen more

A school of fish leaps in the air

Then a dolphin

Then another

They splash about

Natural wonder

My dog and I walk to the sandbar and then the jetty

To check it out

We climb up the rocks

More dolphins appear

They jump and dive

Their tails dance

My dog’s head bobs, his tail wags

I’m glad

We’re tranced

More and more dolphins appear

Someone from afar yells, “Over here!”

Lower on the rocks sitting there are two young girls, probably 10

They toss bread crumbs into the water

And say, “Listen!”

Seagulls and pelicans join the party

Squawking and cawing

They flutter and dive

We’re all amazed by the display of life

I check my watch – Wednesday morning

“Shouldn’t you girls be in school?” I ask

“Yeah, but we’d rather be here, studying the dolphins and the birds, a much better task”

“Me, too,” I say, as my pager beeps

We all sit and watch the dolphin show

No need to cross the bridges or leave this coast

20 years later I still sit on the jetty

Thinking of all the things I love most

God. I’ll come here as long as He lets me

The many dogs that have been by my side

The friends of my youth

Those two girls are grown, like me

Oceanographers now, I hope

Ever mesmerized by the sea

The coastal mansions and bridges remain

I’m not sure why this place is so empty

It doesn’t advertise

A little piece of heaven on earth

Even in the rain

The most beautiful thing to ever meet my eyes

I saw dolphins again today

Pelicans too

No need for me to ever get away