Boy On The Beach

Children Playing at the Seashore
All along the beach and up and over the sand dunes rose squeals of joy and playful threats.


A flock of gulls splash in the cold Arctic waters
The seagulls dipped and bounced about in the currents, bumping and rising and flapping around like kites in a strong March wind.


Fishermen in a Dory on the Grand Banks Off Newfoundland, c.1880
The fishermen clung to their rods as giant waves hurled against the rocks and spit their spray all around.


Deserted Beach on the South Coast, South West National Park, Tasmania, Australia
A beachcomber followed his stick and, head down, wobbled from sandhill to sandhill.


At the Beach
A little boy with smooth, dark hair and olive skin, a yellow swimsuit and chubby legs stood forlornly with back toward gaiety and sobbed out his misery and heartbreak.

How hard it was to understand the jerk on his arm and the slap in his face when sternly reprimanded for his excitement, his lack of caution, his rushing headlong away.





His father stormed away and screaming still, returned to the truck for gear that no longer held any pleasure for the tragic boy.


At The Seashore

My fellowman and I...
what insufficiency lies within our breasts.
What tender joys we wrest away from little ones whose innocence is so fleeting... so precious.
How miserably we manage those tiny bits of potential.

How completely we fail to understand the privilege of loving.


Christ Blessing the Children

"Let the little children come to me, and forbid them not.
For of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Children of Photographer with Eugene Smith Walking Hand in Hand in Woods Behind His Home

What an awesome responsibility...
To rear the inhabitants of the kingdom of God.

Blessings for Blah Days by Kathryn Griffin
photos courtesy of all posters

Mimi