Sky High

It is 3 am (ignore the blog clock --- it has its own time zone). Sleep came and went quickly last night. I am sitting high atop my friends' waterfront condo, amazed at how many lights stay on all night. I can see miles from the Chattahoochee River to the Gulf of Mexico. The canals interlaced between make this feel like a western version of Venice. In a few hours the sun will stretch its arms and shake people from their snoozing. But, right now, it is all mine. My friend, Marianne, and I talked about "friendly water" and "scary water." On the drive through South Carolina, I drove to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The sky was gray, the waves were angrily slapping at the rock shore. It felt scary. These inlet canals have a peaceful nature. They welcome the myriad of pleasure boats without dashing them about. These are friendly waters. Day two on Route 41 is a far cry from the shores of Lake Superior and Copper Harbor, Michigan. The contrast is part of the texture of this trip. As I sit and look across this bejeweled Florida coast, I am thankful for America the Beautiful.