There are a lot of reasons I historically haven’t liked the beach: the sun burning my skin, the wind and water leaving me cold, sand getting on everything, social pressures from crowded beaches and exhausted people.

But one of the gifts from this past year has been learning to enjoy the beauty of the ocean: colorful sunsets over the water, the sound of waves crashing into the shoreline, birds walking along the beach looking for a sandy meal, and people playing in the waves with their kids, dogs, and surfboards.

Thank you Bekah for inspiring me to open up a little more each day.