Asilomar State Beach, Monterey, California
The wind was blowing harder than you’d expect for a sunny Sunday afternoon, and the neighborhood’s wind chimes were frantic. The moment had that not quite evening feel about it, a bit lazy, but there was more. It felt like a pause in time, a moment between weeks, a break from the driving push of work or weekend to-do lists, kind of like stopping for gas or, nowadays, picking up a few electrons. It may be my favorite moment of the week.
I stepped outside to watch the leaves flutter in the sunlight, and everything had that alive look nature takes on at times. The frenzied gusts of wind added layers of emotion to the scene, and the immediacy of everything cut through bright and sharp and brilliant. I could see the sea haze rolling in from the west, and the light changed to a muted warmth with the slightest suggestion of shadows. It won’t be long, I thought, and the sun will disappear into layers of gray, and the joyful will turn to brooding. The feeling would be overwhelming if it weren’t so beautiful.