An Ocean Breeze

An ocean breeze...the smell of the salty sea has a powerfully magical property to soothe my soul and relax my body the moment I step onto the sand.  This does not occur at the lake, nor along the riverbanks...only here, at the shore, with the indescribably potent scent of the salt air.  I see that transformation in the faces of people who walk the shoreline, the smiles as families walk weighted down with beach bags from their cars through the dunes. Could this feeling come from the memories of our childhood?  Could it be that the association with ocean breezes connects us to happy moments as a child with a pail and shovel in hand?  

But, no, this instant transformation occurs to people that had never visited the beach 'til they were adults. Maybe the experience is deeper still, a connection to the sea that transcends time and logic, something that just...is. The salty air comforts and soothes, and perhaps we should not question it....just appreciate. No matter where we are, how far we may be from it,  the ocean breeze remains in that quiet place between sleep and dreams.  Waiting.