My phone rang the other night, and it was dear friends, whom I hadn’t seen in three years. It was such a gift to hear from them! We decided to meet the next morning and enjoy the beach together, since the weather was supposed to be unseasonably warm for the end of September.

When I met them at their home, they surprised me and said we were going off-roading on Nauset Beach. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself! We drove on deflated tires over glorious, bumpy, sandy roads … passing dune shacks, closed until next summer… and finally reaching the town’s private beaches, that stretched for miles in either direction. We parked the car and put our beach chairs out, inches from the water’s edge.

I couldn’t stop smiling. Here I was, with cherished friends, on a totally deserted beach… in 78 degree weather on September 28th. It just doesn’t get any better than this!

We took a long walk along the shoreline. It was high tide, and the waves were pounding the sand, as they crashed onto the beach. Along the way, I noticed colorful ropes sticking out of seaweed clumps… remnants from fishing nets, lobster traps, bait bags, buoy lines … each piece, with its own story to tell. I collected several pieces.

We sat in our chairs and watched countless seals playing in the surf. We had such fun catching up with each other. When lunchtime came, I was served a delicious sandwich with chardonnay. It was the most spectacular oceanfront restaurant I have EVER been to! The magic of the day just kept going on.

As the sun was getting lower in the sky, we walked in the shallow waters one last time and found more treasures: special rocks, and even a sanddollar.

It was now low tide. We had been on the beach for six hours and had seen the complete changing of the tides.

As I reluctantly climbed back into the car, I gathered my pieces of colored rope and thought of another “Lesson from the Shore”.

These pieces of rope had all broken free from their nets and traps. And I reflected on my life … and about how often I am trapped in my own web of negative thoughts. These ropes remind me that I need to work hard to free myself from the chains of self-doubt … so that I can believe in myself completely… and soar.

Thank You, Lord, for the lessons You are always teaching me on Your shore. Thank You for special friendships … for fun… and for more treasured memories.

Hurrah for Summer’s Last Hurrah!