The soccer fields are coated in a thick layer of white frost, so are the paddocks and everything else that I pass as I head towards the ocean. I’m wearing layer upon layer of clothing and wriggle my toes in my shoes to try and warm them up a bit I trade my clothes for my wetsuit and we swim across the river which today, has plenty of water in it. The sun comes out and as we walk along the beach it quickly warms my black wetsuit, unbelievably, I soon become uncomfortably hot. The sand is covered in tracks of all different shapes and sizes, they criss-cross all over each other. People, birds, dogs and foxes have all taken steps here since the last high tide.
A little willy wagtail joins us for our walk making tracks of his own, he stays with us, running along and then flying across the sand to keep up. He’s not afraid at all, I pause and give way to him when he stops in front of me. And then just as quickly as he joined us, he leaves us. The warmth I felt on the beach rapidly disappears as I submerge myself in the cool water of the river. But the view underneath is clear and beautiful. I swim solidly and appreciate the outgoing tide propelling me forwards. I think about the footprints. There are people in life who we walk alongside, there are some who just cross our tracks, there are some who stay for awhile and then leave as quickly as when they arrived. The impact of each person is not always comparable to the length of their stay. I vow to be conscious of my footprints this week, to be careful not to tread on anyone, to encourage those who pass by, to support those I walk with.
2 Comments
Michelle
28/6/2018 05:00:28 pm
Beautiful 💕
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Mary McKay
28/6/2018 07:18:04 pm
Love your sensitivity to nature. Great writing. Love it!
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AuthorKirrilee Archives
September 2018
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