SO WHAT ARE YOU REMINDED OF WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS PHOTOGRAPH?

It's universal, you know. The beach, that is. The end of a perfect day. The beginning of a perfect day. In an exotic locale. At a local spot. Walking or watching. Sitting or playing. Reflecting. Enjoying the activity. Enjoying the serenity. Feeling especially close to God.

Being with someone you love. Being with a friend. Being alone. Being with the masses who gravitate there. Napping. Observing. Reading. Is there anything that doesn't go well here?

Walking with naked toes in gritty sand. Running in deep, thick layers upon layers of sand. Sea shell hunting. Making a chain of white stars overhead. Or squinting from a cloudless sun stoked sky.

But mainly listening. Lapping of gentle waves, oh oh, here comes a mad one: it slaps the beach hard. "Marco... Polo." Of course answered by Marco... Polo." That could go on all day, but I rarely tire of hearing kids having fun with it.

But the beach works best in silence. Just walking. Hand holding is almost a thing of the past. But on the beach, just walking, it serves a great purpose. And nobody has to talk.