Everyone has a place where they are at ease and at complete relaxation. My idea of a happy place is somewhere where I can allow my creative ideas to flow and I can allow myself to relax. If I am having a stressful week, I can allow myself to breathe and forget about every bad thing that has happened to me.  If I am having trouble with figuring issues in my life out, I can think about them when I arrive at my place of contentment. As typical as it sounds, the environment where I am stress-free would be the beach around sunset. The way the colors can reflect off of the water and the way the clouds can appear as if they are on fire gives me the idea that everything is okay in the world.

            When I arrive at my happy place, I allow myself to stand with my feet in the sand and look at the sun. The sand feels cool and damp beneath my feet and there are a few pebbles scattered around that I try to avoid. I try to remember how much the sunset has already progressed, so I can glance over and see how it has changed. A sunset can relate to how a story works; it has a beginning, a climax where it is the most breathtaking and an end where you realize it is time to go home because the colors have disappeared. The golden glow immediately lets me feel as if I can let go of whatever is bothering me and lets me know that everything will be okay. Also, when I am with my boyfriend and my mom, it makes the experience that much better. As we walk down the beach, we look for rocks that interest us and we have a contest to see who can find the biggest piece of beach glass. I enjoy going to the beach the most when it is low tide and there are sandbars everywhere you look. At times, I enjoy going out on the sandbars by myself and walking as far as I can while taking pictures. At times, I can see little crabs or even fish while also seeing shells and different rocks that are usually hidden from the world by water. Walking on the sandbars reminds me of simpler times during my childhood, where I could run and be carefree.

            The beach is a very meaningful place to me because it helps me realize that nothing in nature is perfect, whether it’s good or bad. Everything is perfect in its own way, from the way the waves hit the shore or how the rocks line the beach randomly. I enjoy bringing my camera to the beach and taking pictures of the waves and different items I find. The pictures give me comfort because when I see them, they help me remember that not everything is perfect in life, and things will always change whether I like it or not. If I think I made a mistake in life, I can remember that nobody is perfect. If the beach is perfect in its own way, then I can be too; I can love who I am even when others may try to bring me down.