Enjoy the silence.
Maybe you’re an early bird who goes jogging on the cool sand as the sun rises. Ocean waves quietly lap to shore together with twisted messes of dark seaweed and chipped seashells as faint orange sunbeams peek over the horizon…
Or maybe you’re a sand stroller going for a quick walk around the bend as your family takes a final dip before heading home. Your feet sink into the hot sand as you find yourself alone with wet tree branches, quiet circling gulls, and a bright pink sunset lighting up the sky…
Or maybe you just discover a quiet patch of secret sandy paradise where nobody can find you. It’s the hidden beach through the cottage forest, the rocky island where you rest your canoe, or the cliffside of a hilly highway where you pull over and hike down the empty shore…
Yes, those rare moments when you’re the only person on the beach make you feel like you’re standing alone in front of the universe. Stare up and let your mind drift into the distant neverending sky, fall deep into the thin horizon, and focus down at the tiny grains of sand millions of years old covering your feet …
Maybe stegosauruses and dodo birds and cavemen and cowboys all stood at this same spot staring out the same way at the same wavy water. And maybe future races will stand at these same places and feel the same spine-tingling sense of
AWESOME!
There will be a special announcement on 1000 Awesome Things this Friday.
– Email message –
“Hi! I stumbled upon your blog at time in my life where some awesomness was needed, bad. I was having a hard time finding reasons to get out of bed. Since then I’ve got a new job I really enjoy, the courage to try and realize my dreams and I feel a lot better in general. May seem stupid that reading a blog can help so much, but it gave me the kick I was needing. AWESOME!” – Therese from Norway
Photos from: here, here, and here
45 Comments
July 20, 2010 at 12:13 am
Bwah. Curse my being in a landlocked state.
Over Christmas break, though, my brothers and I were in Miami. We don’t get to hang out that much, being eight and ten years apart and leading different lives, but one night we just hung out on an empty beach at midnight after going around the town. It was a good night, definitely.
July 20, 2010 at 12:27 am
Me too, buddy. The beach is sadly just a once-a-year treat. :(
July 20, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Maybe you guys could, uh, you know… go to the beach… together?
*scurries*
*scurries back*
Come on – give me a break.. it’s been a while! :)
*scurries away for good this time*
July 21, 2010 at 9:56 am
LOL
July 29, 2010 at 10:09 pm
I live about one hour away from the beach :D I just spent two whole weeks there
July 20, 2010 at 12:18 am
Possible Awesome Thing #457:
When someone quotes one of your favorite songs (like you did with “Enjoy the Silence”).
July 20, 2010 at 12:20 am
Early risin’ at the beach: best ever. I love the beach in the early a.m., and being the only one there is the amazing cherry on top! Definitely worth the lack of sleep. Besides … if you get too worn out, you can just spend the rest of your day participating in a “sinful day o’ naps” while everyone else is roasting on the packed beach.
July 20, 2010 at 12:36 am
This is my kind of post! To be honest, I’ve only been to the beach once. Unfortunately I had no solitude, but as beautiful as it was, I can’t image how it would be by myself. Great post!
July 20, 2010 at 1:50 am
Ooh, special announcement?
I’m intrigued.
July 20, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Me too….very.
July 20, 2010 at 1:52 am
the special annoucement….
my 19th birthday :)
yay!
July 20, 2010 at 1:54 am
on friday that is…
lol :)
i quite intrigued too A. Nonny Muss!
July 20, 2010 at 6:38 am
happy early birthday!
July 20, 2010 at 6:22 pm
Happy birthday!
July 20, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Oh thanks so much guys! :)
i really appreciate it :)
Hope you all are having an awesome day :D
July 20, 2010 at 6:37 am
Sadly….I have never been to the beach. :-(
I had one opportunity when I was 10, but I didn’t want to go then. My daughter has gotten to go with her father.
Yes, we do have plans to go in the future, but for the time being……. I have no idea what this feels like….but I bet it really is awesome.
July 20, 2010 at 6:57 am
This makes me a little sad. The beach is such a beautiful place — it feeds my soul. I hope you are able to visit the ocean soon.
July 20, 2010 at 8:48 am
After we do go, i will have to come back and agree with everyone that it is awesome….
July 20, 2010 at 11:53 am
Living on the coast and near some lakes, I can’t imagine not having the beach (though I’m more a mountain person). I’m excited for you for when you finally get to experience it. You can strive to become a sand snob and ponder the pros and cons of pine and fresh air versus the salty spray! You will love it, I promise.
July 20, 2010 at 7:45 am
I love it!!! Stumbled upon your post –to be honest now I can’t remember quite how I found it but then I think that is another one of those awesome things—when you find an unexpected blog to read that starts your day off just right!!!! Right up there with the beach! Thanks for sharing!!! I have been blessed!!!
July 20, 2010 at 7:59 am
A few years ago, I had gone to a beach and it was full moon that night. So it was only my family with the waves crashing on the beach, no noise around and it was one of the most awesome experiences ever!
July 20, 2010 at 8:20 am
Best feeling ever!!! So AWESOME!!!
~ Mouse
July 20, 2010 at 9:04 am
This is one of my favorite awesome things. I’ve found myself alone on the beach early in the morning or late at night. It’s so incredibly peaceful being alone on the beach, with nothing but the sound and smell of the ocean to keep you company. Awesome.
–Eric
July 20, 2010 at 9:55 am
Your post reminded me of an awesome family memory at the beach.
One was when I went on a early-morning stroll on the beach with my dad. We were shell collecting, a thing we normally do at the beach whenever we go, and came across a large hole in the ground. It had a dark colored and at the bottom. Me, being the carefree child I was at the time, took a long jump into the hole. My shoes stuck to the sand, and one began to sink. I yelled out as my Croc started to sink, and jumped out of the hole with the assistance of my dad. We then went on a long, one-shoed walk (for me) to the nearby storefronts. I bought a pair of especially boyish sandals (a phase I was going through at the time) and we went on our way. Even though our shell-collecting journey was cut short, it formed a hilarious memory I will never forget.
July 20, 2010 at 10:36 am
Just had to comment on this one. It’s one of my favourite feeling in the world, being alone on a beach. I remember one time me and my mother went camping near a beach even though it had been raining, and as a result hardly anyone was there, so in the morning we went out to the beach and as far as we could see it was completely empty.
We walked along the entire length of the beach, her on the sand and me wading through the water. At one point near the end of the beach there was another person there. He was simply standing and watching the water, gazing out at everything. He didn’t even look when we walked by.
A ways down the beach, where we could no longer see him, I decided to do the same for a while. It’s an absolutely magical feeling just watching the horizon, no sounds but the water at your feet. For some reason that day’s one I can never forget.
This is definitely one of my favourite Awesome Things.
July 20, 2010 at 10:56 am
If the special announcement is that there will be a 1000awesomethings.com movie, I hope you can get Seagal or Van Damme to play Freddo.
July 20, 2010 at 12:01 pm
oooh….. movie…. that would be so awesome
July 20, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Booo! I was hoping for Taylor Lautner.. but I guess I’ll take Steven Seagal..
I remember I used to love all of his movies, particularly in the beginning when they all had to have only 3 words, and could be used to complete the sentence “Steven Seagal is…”
Hard To Kill
Marked For Death
Out For Justice
On Deadly Ground
July 20, 2010 at 11:22 am
Actually, its quite easy to be the only person on the beach in parts of Taiwan (Not the southern tip), and the beaches are pretty good.
The locals like to work too hard, and are pretty superstitious about swimming in water… so lucky for me!
July 20, 2010 at 12:48 pm
I’m learning to play hockey, and I recently had 30 minutes of a public skate with the ice to myself.
It was one of the cooler experiences I’ve had in my life.
July 20, 2010 at 1:46 pm
I’ve gotten to experience this. Sadly, that was only for about 10 minutes before a giant rainstorm hit. So I guess everyone else knew better.
July 20, 2010 at 2:03 pm
So awesome! And really, you can attach this post to the concept of the sublime moment. Being alone in front of the expanse of water is definitely “sublime” in the classical sense. It’s a powerful experience that couples fear with wonder. We need to get ourselves and our children into situations where they can experience the sublime. Nice! http://livewithflair.blogspot.com/
July 20, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Living a few blocks from the beach my entire life, its crazy to imagine seeing it only once a year, or never at all.
Sitting in my room and just looking out at the moonlit Pacific Ocean or watching the sunset is a magical (& awesome) experience I get every day.
Yall are making me realize I take the ocean for granted.
July 20, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Also,
whats the announcement??
July 20, 2010 at 5:54 pm
The victim was discovered on the beach under a pile of conchs, clams, oysters and mussels..
You could say that he is…
*puts on sunglasses*
…a shell of the man he once was.
YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!
July 20, 2010 at 11:27 pm
absolutely the best thing ever! so AWESOME! Living at the beach you get this all the time but never take it for granted because it is the most wonderful feeling. will have to make a trip to my special quiet beach soon:) Hope everyone gets to experience this AWESOME time soon!
July 20, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Hmm. I love those moments. Certainly awesome! Glad I came across your blog :)
July 20, 2010 at 11:41 pm
Wotcher!
Totally!! Surf’s up! :)
Hasn’t happened to me yet… Oh well.
Cheers,
Sarah
July 20, 2010 at 11:54 pm
I live in Texas and love the beach(:
I also love standing ankle deep in the water, watching the oil and tar everywhere(:
July 21, 2010 at 3:15 am
I went to the beach today because I read this yesterday. It is winter here and there was nobody on the beach, I had it all to myself :) It was… Awesome.
July 21, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Things Republicans Hate: Jeopardy!
http://thethingsrepublicanshate.com/?p=512
August 2, 2010 at 7:03 pm
I actually had the weird experienceS of being the only person in the cinema! It was awesome!! Having the theatre to myself with my popcorn and pepsi, and making my odd mobile calls to my family, was precious for me, like my own private screening! The movie was ok, Ashton K made it funny!
August 4, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Yes – this would have to be my favourite awesome thing. I am lucky to live near the beach and I am often the only person walking. Mine are the only footprints on the beach – pure bliss.
August 17, 2010 at 4:26 am
[...] my parents make me do it!! it was THE thing, for me –btw, i used to call it Vola Vola Vola); When You’re the Only Person in the Beach (early mornings . [...]
September 4, 2010 at 3:29 pm
so awesome. feeling like the whole world is yours !