Cassis, France-- May 2008

My pale feet touched the smooth warm stones that served as sand, and the water crisply ran over my legs. A sense of undisturbed bliss cleansed my thoughts like the clear water at my feet. I remembered to take deep full breaths of the untainted air as to never forget this moment. The beach was French, with over bronzed topless women and men of every age donning Speedos.

The port in Cassis, France

The photo I took that day still hangs in my thoughts, just as certain senses spark a revitalized memory. We took many photos that balmy spring day, wanting to freeze in time our ecstasy. I am jumping in the air, wavy hair flowing, arms spread, birdlike, and my feet are well off the stony platform. I am unrecognizable, shaded by the angle of the unwavering sun; the only recognizable feature is the gold of my hair. The blue water is my backdrop, saying how far I am from home, a sacrifice to feel more connected to the world. And with that picture, our mission was accomplished, a moment was created, never to be forgotten, frozen in time.

Hours later, with daylight evaporating over the mountains, we walked up the windy streets of Cassis, catching the last shuttle back to Marseilles. As I stepped onto the aged bus, I noticed my once fair feet had a warm glow, touched by the sun of the Mediterranean…

Cassis, France: during one fine spring afternoon.