Wanderer #10381

The Story

Here is a solitary fresh footprint in beach sand left by a recent barefoot beach walker. Perhaps it was left in a peaceful moment while bonding with the ocean and its waves. Could it also have been left by a vagabond during a moment of personal escape, a getaway? You decide as suits your mind at this moment.

The surf’s white foam slides in to reach it and then fades away, as quick and smooth as quicksilver itself. The wave touches the footprint just as the ocean touches us all in some way. Soon this footprint in the sand will be slipped away, erased by the never-ending ocean waves that continuously make a new blank canvas of wet sand for the next shoreline wanderer.

And as always, there will be more footprints in beach sand to be created ahead in time. As complex creatures, all of us need calming, peaceful moments. We humans are drawn to this sort of place all along coastlines everywhere to find a little peace and some recentering with our earth, not to mention our souls.

Locations: the Outer Banks in North Carolina…or any sandy beach anywhere. Picture and story © Andrew Dierks