Emily Dennis contributing writer
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here is a place that I feel is my “safe haven.” A safe haven is a
marvelous place where my worries and troubles are carried
away by the wind. The beach has always been my “go-to” place.
The sandy shores of Huntington have always welcomed me with
open arms. Everything seems to make sense at the beach. My
worries and doubts wash away with the tide. My fears sink
beneath the waves with the melting sun. Huntington is such a magical place.
The colors of the beach have me in awe. As I stand on the shoreline dotted
with seashells, the bright reds and oranges of the sky envelope me. The sound of the
waves crashing on the shore brings peace to my heart. Wading into the salty tide is
nearly identical to feeling a mother’s gentle touch. The water surrounds me like a
much needed hug. Everything about the beach soothes me. The salt air awakens my
senses, the beauty surpasses anywhere else I have ever seen. However, the greatest
attraction for me is the sound of children’s laughter and the occasional cry over a
sandcastle that had been washed away.
Wandering upon the Atalaya Castle is more enchanting than a fairytale out
of a story book. She sits high above the dunes, overlooking a sea of endless possibilities. She monitors those who enter her kingdom and bids farewell as her sightseers fade into the distance. The heart of her is damp, but sunlight beams through her
doorways. I have always looked to her as a beacon of hope, remembering that you
must always stand firm and believe in your own strength. Her walls stand strong with
loyalty and I take comfort in her mighty shadows.
. The smell of the sunscreen brings back joyous memories of building sandcastles
with my cousins. We would sit in our personal tide pools and search for dolphins in
the waves. Our pruned fingers picked through the shells being drug back out to sea,
looking for shark’s teeth. We would always bob in the waves as our skin was being
kissed by the sun and our beach curls tightened from the salty water. As the sun
began to throw shades of auburn into the sky, we would gather our beach chairs
and start up the boardwalk to our cars. Waving goodbye and watching the dunes get
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smaller and smaller as we left was always so hard. Our footprints were washed away,
but the memories we made will keep us connected no matter where our paths take
us.
As I dig my fingers into the gritty sand, I stare out at the ocean. It is so magnificent I
often wonder what God must have been thinking when He created it. Staring into the
dark blue of the waves puts everything into perspective for me. There are situations
that are bigger than me. There are things that overwhelm and trouble me, things that
are far beyond my control. However, my God is so much bigger than the ocean and all
the troubles of the world. The ocean makes me realize that I am not alone and that
God is always close to me. God is just as close as the reflection of the sunlight dancing
on the waves. I am not alone in this world. I have a God that sees beauty in me just
like I see beauty in the ocean. The tide never leaves the sea. The tide stretches to
the shoreline and then fades into the blue depths, but it always returns. Sometimes
I feel that God has faded away from me and just when I think He has abandoned me,
He is back.
The beach has always been my safe harbor. Huntington is the one place that I
continuously feel loved and accepted. The beach proves that life does not have to be
perfect, but there are moments that I am able to find perfection in the little things.
I always feel closer to God when I visit the seashore. As I sit on the shoreline and talk
to God, it is like talking to a friend. Having a place to retreat to when things get rough
is important. Huntington is a place where I can relax and let lose. If you are ever in the
Litchfield area and find yourself with some free time be sure to visit Huntington State
Park, where you can revisit your childhood and tour an enchanted castle that you
have only envisioned in fairytales. The possibilities at Huntington are endless. Even
though I’m grown now and the playful childhood memories seem so far away, I know
that no matter where I go in this world, the shoreline will always be my welcome mat
because the sea will forever be my home. The beach is calling and I must go.
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