Fishermen are a lovely sort. They are quick to jump in and help (ask Jared about the time he caught that shark off Asseteague), encouraging and very generously dispense tons of fisherman wisdom peppered with great stories. I also find old men to be quite lovely. They are confident, settled and quite relaxed regarding just about everything. Last Sunday, as we took our last Sunday evening beach walk for the season...
(Here's the reason it was our last...
...some little one just cannot resist the water and sand when the weather is warm. She ended up soaked and half naked, then wrapped in my coat had to be carried off the beach! : )
...Jared stood with his feet in the water beside a gentle soul who was both fisherman and old man. Before he retired he was a fireman in Philadelphia. And now, without any of the machismo that some men who've served in brave professions seem to cling to, he lives on and fishes off of 25th St. in Ocean City, sharing tips and tales quite happily with interested passers by. The sun was setting and there were only a handful of other folks on the beach. South of the boardwalk, peaceful and quiet, except for the hushing sound of the waves that seems to silence everything else. Even bits and pieces of fisher talk. But the parts Jared heard inspired him and his love of surf fishing. And it made me think of how lovely it is to share this earth with such kind folks and share an evening chat with ones feet in the ocean waves.
Hannah enjoyed the conversation. Ben with his sweat pants up to his knees, so as not to get them wet and draw the attention of his Mama who was trying to keep this a Sunday-style affair, quietly dug in the wet sand. Caleb made his famous "sand rocks" and tossed them with gusto into someone's abandoned dug out pool. And, Naomi, as mentioned, did not hold back despite the solemnity of the sabbath, and mostly shadowed Caleb, but with some side trips too deep in the water for the jeans she was wearing and some laying, belly down, in the sand.
It was peaceful and relaxing. And now I'm thinking about fall and rekindling our Sunday evening tradition and about Jared meeting up with our friend on 25th St. again for some fishing this summer, as our new friend hoped he would. And I'm grateful for this lovely, lovely life.
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