California Sunsets

Location Coordinates:
33°12'11"N, 117°23'31"W
Oceanside, California

 
As a native of southern California, there are two things I have greatly missed since I left the state some thirty years ago: first-rate Mexican food, and beach sunsets. Of course, I can find both of these things in other places. But somehow they simply are not quite the same (for me, anyway) as they are in California. Each time I fly out to visit family I make sure the days include at least one Mexican restaurant. And I always manage to get to the beach during my stay as well.

I made the California trip again last week. However, the occasion was somber: attendance at a family member's funeral. It was an emotional and difficult week. Adding to an already unpleasant atmosphere was a summer heat wave which sent temperatures in the inland valleys and deserts, where we were, into the 100s. By the end of the week I needed to escape both the heavy emotions and blistering temperatures. I decided a beach run was a perfect pick-me-up destination. My mother and oldest daughter, Sarah, decided to join me. I pointed the car south, not knowing exactly which beach to head toward. As we meandered along less-traveled state highways we decided to head in the direction of the La Jolla area north of San Diego, where we anticipated we could enjoy a nice seafood dinner overlooking the ocean. But after driving only a few minutes I could tell I was not really in the frame of mind to go all the way to San Diego and back.

We eventually found our way to Oceanside, about forty miles north of San Diego. The change in temperature ( a drop of about twenty-five degrees) and the salty ocean air worked wonders for improving our moods. We found a seafood restaurant overlooking the harbor, and followed dinner with a sunset stroll on the beach. My sandals came off immediately and my inner beach kid pulled me straight toward the water. When the first wave hit my exposed legs I felt as though the wind had been knocked out of me. The icy water was quite literally painful! But, just the same as when I was a kid, my skin numbed to the coldness, and I stood in knee-high water shooting photographs as the sun sank into the Pacific.

One of my favorite Jimmy Buffett songs is Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes, which could have been our theme song for this beach excursion. Simply changing our latitude let us briefly break away from the intense emotions and oppressive heat we left behind. It was a natural therapy far more effective than anything a pharmaceutical company could develop.