Fresh Start

Alright, with January 1, 2024 officially in the books, my birthday celebration is now done and dusted, and I'm looking to kick the rest of my year off with gusto. 

Where, pray tell, does one go to 

restore the body,

refresh the soul, and 

reset the mind 

all at the same time?

Easy. The beach.

^ I can't begin to imagine how many times I've stood in this exact spot, staring out at the murky grey sea and sky northwest of Mukilteo Beach, and drawing in a breath of delight as the one of the ferries - the Suquamish or the Tokitae - peeps out from its berth and sets sail across Possession Sound to the fair isle of Whidbey. Despite the unrelenting monotones, this sight never fails to fill me with wonder and joy.

^ Speaking of wonder and joy, the neighbors to the north of the beach added a small, cheerily lit Christmas tree to the end of their pier. He's such a fierce little holiday tiger to face the elements this way, and simply demands me to smile. I do.

^ You know what else makes me smile? The marine mammals that put on a show for us today. No photos but my memory carries perfect images. The second beast we see is some sort of seal who saucily splashes its head out of the water, draws two deep and rasping breaths, quickly swivels to take in the surroundings, then slips back down to swim away. But just moments before that, we are treated to a chose-up with a harbor seal not ten yards from our feet. She pops her head up, and we make out the contours of her face: her eyes, her nose, her mouth. She is a pale white ghostly thing and her beautiful image haunts me even now. 

^ Okay, time to move inland and enjoy the lighthouse. As usual, her front doors are decked out in holiday cheer and we are powerless to resist many snaps of her charm.

^ The twinkle lights around the doors don't put on much of a show, even in the midafternoon gloom, but the wreaths give me all the holiday swag I need. 

^ As we wander back to the car, feeling satisfied and serene, my eyes fall on this faded hydrangea bloom and surprisingly, a zing of excitement shoots through me. Rather than see it as a worn-out relic of seasons past, I see this old girl as a promise of all that is to come - another full year of growth and fullness and joy. 

And I know that my new year is definitely off to a fresh start.