“The trees are in their autumn beauty, The woodland paths are dry, Under the October twilight the water mirrors a still sky.”  ~ William Butler Yeats

 

 

While time can be measured according to seasons, as well as in minutes and hours, the value of time cannot be truly calculated (ask any philosopher worth his expensive degree). Its significance cannot be carefully considered on a chart for scientists (and really smart people) to analyze. Like footprints in the sand, it leaves its mark and its memory behind. Time well-spent, however, does not vanish as quickly as those washable prints in the sand.

With the goal of spending each second wisely, is there a better place to devote one’s time than the shore? Salt-scented air with a scenic view surely increases time’s otherwise immeasurable value, right? No matter what month the calendar declares, time spent near an ocean has its own unique significance, too impressive to be eclipsed by the clock. Under a starry sky, wishes are born. If we could slow down the clock, what would we wish for? More carefree days consisting of beach walks and boardwalk strolls? (and free year-round parking would be nice).

While we average, shore-loving folk struggle to comprehend time’s worthy, finite value, perhaps writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedia said it best when he declared, “There is a time for some things, and a time for all things; a time for great things and a time for small things.”

May your time be spent among the sand and the stars, enjoying all things, great and small.