a lament for Crystal Beach

For the past few years, around this time, B and I and a small group of friends would head to the coast for a long weekend. It was one last chance to enjoy the long lazy days of summer before the crazy too-short days of fall and the holiday season began. To get out of town for a change of scenery, to wade in the ocean and listen to the crash of the waves and the constant lull of the singing surf. To watch the kids' fascination with catching fish, with riding the big waves, with building sand castles and collecting seashells; timeless activities that have made memories for generations of children before and will continue to do so. A chance for us "grown-ups" to hang out with each other late into the evening, without having to worry about getting up and going to work the next day. A chance to enjoy a home-cooked breakfast together, to enjoy cocktails in the middle of the afternoon, to enjoy the latest stories and news from each other's busy lives.

The last two years we spent this long weekend in Crystal Beach TX, on the Bolivar Peninsula just outside of Galveston. We stayed in rented beach houses just yards from the ocean. We got out of our cars on the ferry ride over, to feel the wind whipping our hair and to look for dolphins, always thrilled when we spotted them. Several of our group even saw an actual live shark get (inadvertently I assume) caught by a neighboring fisherman! And on the last day, some of us stopped for lunch in Galveston, somewhere along the Seawall, for one last group meal before heading back home.

We did not take a beach trip this year. Our core group has basically disbanded. One couple has moved away, another is in the process of divorcing. It makes me sad to know we will never have those happy times together again, but, life happens and change is often good, in the long run if not in the short.

Still, the nearly complete loss of Crystal Beach and the massive destruction of Galveston due to Hurricane Ike has just made me all the more wistful about the loss of our own group. If any of you guys read this, please know that no matter how much or little we see each other in our future days, I will always remember how many fantastic times we had together. And I will always care about each and every one of you!

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Obviously my feelings of loss are miniscule to the thousands of people along the coast who lost everything. From the reports I've heard so far, loss of life was thankfully minimal, but the destruction to the area is massive. Even downtown Houston took some big hits. Please keep all of the people affected and devastated by this storm in your thoughts and your hearts, and remember them with your wallets too if you can. There are several charities with Ike relief funds, and don't forget the animal victims too!!

Finally, here are a couple of striking photos. The first is a before and after shot of a section of Crystal Beach. Of course living on the beach will always carry the risk of total destruction. But it is still a hard hit to take when it does happen.

And here is a pic of the highway leading into Galveston. Dang!!