I have always been drawn to water... and in a way my moves across the country these last few years have always followed this pattern: First Lake Ontario in Rochester NY, where I lived walking distance to the lake and spent often 2-3 days a week walking along the beaches, listening to the call of the water. Even Louisville, KY had the Ohio River along its borders, and I literally worked on the water for the summer, and often got to work early (6:45am!!) just to have a few moments to stand at the waters edge. There is nothing like watching the sun come up over the horizon, its reflection mirroring off the water as the ball of fire came up over the bridges.
And now... I'm in the midst of Lake Michigan. I have not wandered down to the water from this apartment yet, as I feel like there is no rush. I know the cold will soon be upon us, and I remember the first time I stood on the edge of Lake Ontario in October fresh off the plane from Arizona. Bone chilled as the wind whipped through me, I was still ecstatic at the sight of the endless water. On the clear nights..... you could see the lights of Toronto off in the distance. It was like a long off calling, distant lands that tempted, if only you could walk across the water.
One of my favorite novels of all time is Kate Chopin's The Awakening, and one of the select quotes I have carried in memory for almost 10 years:
"The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clearing, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in the abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace."
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