Stalled off shore

Wet clouds hang low as a storm is stalled off shore. It was churning over the sea, throwing rain and wind haphazardly until it hit the beach and, like a lot of us, decided to stop. The misty haze is swirling and the sun playfully darts in and out of them. It is a good day for melancholy. All of the windows are now open so the inside feels like the outside which is a pretty good description of melancholy. Transparency happens. A detached objectivity is achieved so that you see things as though you're floating above, like those stories of people who die and hover over their bodies. It's not that I'm unhappy or don't have a full life. I do. It's quite enjoyable and I'm loving the many gifts I have. Last night, after dinner, I'm sitting in the Life Guard stand with sandy bare feet dangling. Cassidy plays in the sand laughing. Maddie's lusting after a surfer. The ocean is glass though there's enough waves for the dude to stand upright on his board which delighted Maddie so she jerks out her cell phone to tell her friends. "Oh my God," she squeals. "He is so cute." The sun just sits on billows of clouds shooting brilliant red lights into the sky. Sitting there, I raise my glass and toasts God. "You do really good work most of the time," I said out loud as both girls ignore me as they were in their own worlds. "There are some things I wonder about but tonight ... it just doesn't get any better than this." God didn't say anything back but the brilliant display of lights made me think about ... Joey Finch. Joey and I grew up together and he lives in Key West. He's forever taking pictures of the rock in the Gulf Stream where he lives and posting them on line. I love Key West and had I found it earlier in my life, I would still be living there. Sarah and I are desperately planning a trip to visit Joey and the island. I'm dying to go and show the girls islands really are the best way to live. The sun decides to wake up and throws the clouds off. The brightness is blinding. I snap pictures of the happiness around me and the gifts that God drips down. The moon is brilliant sliver standing off to the side admiring God's red glow. This morning I still have one foot stuck in last night. Sometimes you just can't appreciate all that you've got enough.