it's just before sunset when loneliness creeps in

the beach is my remedy

the ocean will let me be sad
but only enough to shed a few tears,
never enough to let me drown

the wind invites me in when no one else has thought to
the lazy waves take their time rolling up

the toddlers mix mud, as their parents hold a conversation

the older couple holds hands like they're still in love

their golden retriever barrels ahead of them but stops intentionally when he gets to me, like he knows

and he is right, I needed an interruption at that moment

the thin, single woman wades just off shore in no particular direction

the young, handsome man sits searching the horizon like he knows there's more to his life

the focused joggers
the sun-stained surfers
the shell collectors
the carefree teenagers

they all start to fill the void
until finally I forget
how alone I felt when my feet first hit the sand

© Candice Reineke 2014