And I said, "Yes!"
Last night was a really clear night. A nearly full moon was shimmering on the surface of the ocean as the warm waves crashed down over my feet. The wind was light, and played with my hair like most of my friends and family generally do. The tide had reached it's hight and had begun to recede. Stars. Moon. Sand. Surf. Everything bathed in a silvery blue glow.
I rushed out to the waves, enamored by them as I guess I always have been. Water is my element even if I am a fire sign. I love water, and I love the ocean and I can't really think of a time I've honestly hated the sea. I feel at home there. So I watch the waves roll in, and the moon's glow dancing over the waves. I'm amazed, and I'm totally focused on the sand between my toes, the sea foam splashing over my feet and ankles, the heavy salty smell in the air - so concentrated you can taste it. I enjoy the breeze and how it blows in my face like the soft breathing of a wonderfully fantastic sleeping beast, and the stars, a mess of glitter spilled over dark velvet and sparkling.
That's when Alan said my name.
------
Alan and I had left Friday for a weekend of sand and sun. The city, as much as we loved it, was making us clostrphobic, and the ocean was calling. Some people might think I'm crazy but those of us who have been to the ocean and connected with it know what I'm talking about. It's a feeling, almost primal, that just draws you to it. It's a longing you can't really explain - but Alan and I were both feeling it. We missed the ocean. So we made a point to go see it as soon as we could. A weekend trip. A short visit. A quick fix to our sand and salt addiction.
We'd planned to go to the beach the weekend before last but had opted out because some things popped up and got in the way. So when Alan and I came upon thursday of this week and still hadn't made much headway on plans I was to the point of just giving up. We went to bed thrusday night with nothing but a decision in mind to get out and go. Friday Alan made some plans and that evening we were off. The dog was at the dog hotel, booked for a weekend of fetch, fun, and food. The cat had her water and food set out, and all we had to do was pack and rush off once we were off of work.
Friday went by painfully slow. By 10am I was aching to get out. Alan and I carpool to work so Alan picked me up about 30 minutes early and we headed off to a destination unkown (or at least unknown to me).
It was well past midnight when we arrived at Hilton Head and our hotel. Alan pulled all the stops. Nice big room, ocean view, our own patio and the waves were just 10 yards away. Monarchs were everywhere, and the trees covered in spanish moss vibrated the air with the cicadas that sang there in.
We slept, and the next morning woke up to a beautiful sunny day. We had breakfast, and decided to walk around and check out the scene, we browsed through some funky shops, talked to the locals and headed off for the pool as the beaches were full of a lot of others. Alan and I got some nice sun while we swam. Then dinner, we went to a small shop, and Alan picked up a board game. We then came home after picking up some beers and a few snacks as our dinner had been a bit light.
By this time my stomach was actuing up something feirce, and I wasn't feeling too hot. As we attempted to play the board game I smashed my toes under my chair as I sat down and JEEZ that hurt! By the time we were half way to figiuring out the board game I was exguasted and tired and was wanting to go see my ocean.
Alan suggested we go for a walk to wake up a bit and I agreed donning a thin sarong to wear around my shoulders in case I got cold. Alan picked up a short sleeve shirt and we went out barefoot across the sand dune and towards the pounding ocean waves.
I was in a short sleave black shirt, a pair of brown pants, no shoes, throbbing toes, my hair though brushed was not behaving. I had a fever blister on my upper lip. I had achne. I was sun burnt to the point I looked like a reverse raccoon. Fat. Awkward. Ugly.
"Carrie."
And I turned around.
He was on one knee in the sand, seaweed discarded behind him by the ocean waves. The loose over shirt he wore waved lightly behind him. It was green, like his eyes. The wind ran it's fingers through the hair that hung into his face. A box was in one hand. It was dark and all I could see within it was something brilliantly reflective winking moonlight back at me.
"Will you marry me?"
I rushed out to the waves, enamored by them as I guess I always have been. Water is my element even if I am a fire sign. I love water, and I love the ocean and I can't really think of a time I've honestly hated the sea. I feel at home there. So I watch the waves roll in, and the moon's glow dancing over the waves. I'm amazed, and I'm totally focused on the sand between my toes, the sea foam splashing over my feet and ankles, the heavy salty smell in the air - so concentrated you can taste it. I enjoy the breeze and how it blows in my face like the soft breathing of a wonderfully fantastic sleeping beast, and the stars, a mess of glitter spilled over dark velvet and sparkling.
That's when Alan said my name.
------
Alan and I had left Friday for a weekend of sand and sun. The city, as much as we loved it, was making us clostrphobic, and the ocean was calling. Some people might think I'm crazy but those of us who have been to the ocean and connected with it know what I'm talking about. It's a feeling, almost primal, that just draws you to it. It's a longing you can't really explain - but Alan and I were both feeling it. We missed the ocean. So we made a point to go see it as soon as we could. A weekend trip. A short visit. A quick fix to our sand and salt addiction.
We'd planned to go to the beach the weekend before last but had opted out because some things popped up and got in the way. So when Alan and I came upon thursday of this week and still hadn't made much headway on plans I was to the point of just giving up. We went to bed thrusday night with nothing but a decision in mind to get out and go. Friday Alan made some plans and that evening we were off. The dog was at the dog hotel, booked for a weekend of fetch, fun, and food. The cat had her water and food set out, and all we had to do was pack and rush off once we were off of work.
Friday went by painfully slow. By 10am I was aching to get out. Alan and I carpool to work so Alan picked me up about 30 minutes early and we headed off to a destination unkown (or at least unknown to me).
It was well past midnight when we arrived at Hilton Head and our hotel. Alan pulled all the stops. Nice big room, ocean view, our own patio and the waves were just 10 yards away. Monarchs were everywhere, and the trees covered in spanish moss vibrated the air with the cicadas that sang there in.
We slept, and the next morning woke up to a beautiful sunny day. We had breakfast, and decided to walk around and check out the scene, we browsed through some funky shops, talked to the locals and headed off for the pool as the beaches were full of a lot of others. Alan and I got some nice sun while we swam. Then dinner, we went to a small shop, and Alan picked up a board game. We then came home after picking up some beers and a few snacks as our dinner had been a bit light.
By this time my stomach was actuing up something feirce, and I wasn't feeling too hot. As we attempted to play the board game I smashed my toes under my chair as I sat down and JEEZ that hurt! By the time we were half way to figiuring out the board game I was exguasted and tired and was wanting to go see my ocean.
Alan suggested we go for a walk to wake up a bit and I agreed donning a thin sarong to wear around my shoulders in case I got cold. Alan picked up a short sleeve shirt and we went out barefoot across the sand dune and towards the pounding ocean waves.
I was in a short sleave black shirt, a pair of brown pants, no shoes, throbbing toes, my hair though brushed was not behaving. I had a fever blister on my upper lip. I had achne. I was sun burnt to the point I looked like a reverse raccoon. Fat. Awkward. Ugly.
"Carrie."
And I turned around.
He was on one knee in the sand, seaweed discarded behind him by the ocean waves. The loose over shirt he wore waved lightly behind him. It was green, like his eyes. The wind ran it's fingers through the hair that hung into his face. A box was in one hand. It was dark and all I could see within it was something brilliantly reflective winking moonlight back at me.
"Will you marry me?"