A Healing Weekend

{Two Ems and an Ingrid on South Beach, Martha's Vineyard}

Weekends are all about healing from the wounds and stresses of the week. Last week was very stressful at work and in life, all of which left me feeling hollow and worn. I jumped at the chance to spend some time on Martha's Vineyard, on the hospitality of my friend and roommate, Em, and also accompanied by our other roommate, Ingrid. Em's family has a beautiful home near Edgartown, MA, which truly is "Paradise North," as it is so aptly named.

After weeks of unceasing rain and grey skies, the sun graced us with its presence as the three of us began our road trip down to the Cape at 5:30 am on Saturday morning. Our hearts felt light and airy, lifted by the promise of an exciting weekend away from the drudge and artificiality of city life. The sun was shining in full force as we boarded the large vessel of a ferry that would take us to Vineyard Haven. I forgot my camera back in my apartment (curses!) but I did find some lovely substitutes that pictorialize my mini vacation quite nicely.

The weekend was spent eating delicious food and lying out in the sun, which warmed the very cockles of our hearts, so long chilled by the cool June temperatures. We biked around the island, spying some gorgeous houses of all styles like these gingerbread houses from Oak Bluffs.

{Gingerbread houses in Oak Bluffs}

My favorite part was driving onto the beach at North Point. In the early Saturday evening, I dined on a glorious wine and cheese spread with Em, Ingrid, and Mary, Em's mom. We sat on the beach a stone's throw away from the crashing waves. A rimey haze hung in the sky, a grey veil across the setting sun. I ran down to the water's edge and stood in one spot as wave upon wave crashed it's salty limbs against my sand-speckled legs. I felt all the stress and woe fall away from me as the water and sand pulled at my legs. Soon I was buried to my mid-calf by sand as the churn fell forward and gravitated back towards the sea. In this moment, I felt wholly myself and at peace with the world. Moments like these are crucial my survival in what I know as "reality." I must always make time to recharge in natural settings away from the normal pattern of things.

{Sunset | South Beach at Katama}

The first image is from Em's Facebook profile picture and the other images can be found here, here, and here.