Dune

The sun was twinkling off the Adriatic sea. Distant clouds added to the beauty of the scene. The water beckoned invitingly to my English friend, Robert, and I as we walked down the rocky path to the beach. February, and only two days before I'd been in snow, and here I was taking my shoes off and paddling in the sea (swimming would still have been rather foolish!). And the sand dune. Veering off up the rock face at a seemingly impossible angle for several hundred metres. The challenge was laid down. We headed at a leisurely pace towards it, knowing that it would take about an hour. What an opportunity to relax and talk about the things that matter most to us, about our relationships with God and what we are learning.

The dune was even more interesting up close. Grateful that we had carried nothing with us, and leaving our shoes at the bottom, we scrambled up this sandy incline, marvelling at the views. The descent was even faster - I surfed down the sand on my bare feet: I can recommend this form of travel!

We retraced the path along the beach, continuing our conversation, arriving back in time for the beauty of the sun setting.