God dips Her hands in buckets of brilliant reds, pinks and yellows throwing them across the sky as though finger painting first thing in the morning. Colors all mushed together above a full high tide with only the tips of marsh grass seen. God is getting up earlier these days because the sun is already rising when just last week it was still dark at this time of morning.
Goddess nudges her head beside mine laying her paw on my hand which is on the gear shift. There are no other cars on the Tybee road as we make our way home. Sipping coffee from a Styrofoam cup, we sail pass Fort Pulaski. The Cockspur Lighthouse with no light in it, welcomes us to the island.
Many years ago my dear friend Bruce and I climbed on top of it to yell at cars making their way over the Lazaratto Bridge "I'm DOING THIS AND YOU"RE NOT!"
We'd been on a two case boat ride. We were in the boat just long enough to drink twenty four beers. Kyle was with us. Every time I see Cockspur the memory of that day washes over me. I miss him.
On top of the bridge, I spy Hilton Head Island with its golf courses, plantations and enough traffic to sink the island. Turtle Island is there too along with Dafuski. The lights of Savannah are behind us. What captures my attention every single time I cross the bridge is where the mouth of the Savannah River meets the Sea. Fresh water mixes with salt water and holiness is born.
Goddess gives me a kiss, licking my cheek before jumping in the passenger seat. I roll the window down and she sticks her head out, smelling the salt, sand and sea. She knows that home is around the corner and is excited. Her tail wags without ceasing ... hitting me in the face as I drive down Butler Avenue.
I don't mind.
I'm lost in thought and full of emotions.
My life is where the river meets the sea ... where fresh water mixes with salt water ... sand is a lifestyle commitment and suntan lotion is perfume ... sub-tropical temperatures are exotic displays of green ... and it's always 5 O'Clock on Tybee.
Everything that has happened so far in my life has passed away.
Now there is just ... next.
"If this many people are against us," I told Sarah, "then we must really be on to something."
In four days we will be married underneath a full moon with people who love us and lots more who could care less. We'll be surrounded by little girls in dresses and bare feet in the sand. Two-thirds of my children will be there. Parents have mixed opinions about it. There will be religion, music, dances and drinks all in a gumbo of joy.
There will also be the re-opened scars from those who sit in judgement, missing members of the congregation, and organized religion will be brought in Samuel Adams guitar case ... frozen soup that has freezer burn. Things that still torch our souls.
The car rolls to a stop in the Drive way. Goddess excitedly jumps over me to get out. Draining the last of the coffee, I unlock the door and let her inside. Diving back behind the wheel, I drive the short distance to The Breakfast Club for more coffee with friends I love.
Staring out of the window at the flags whipping above the Ocean Plaza, the wind is blowing out to sea ... where the water is full of salt and there is no more fresh ... where the possibilities are endless ... and as much is unknown as known ... the future is out there somewhere and the chains of the past are behind me ...
I've only got so much life left.
It's been great so far but I believe in better.
Forever, I've lived where the River meets the Sea.
Now ... I'm sailing into my future.
