wild horses.

With my final thesis finally polished and turned in and a mere 3 weeks left of my time here on the eastern shore of Maryland, I have been checking off my list of "must-dos" before leaving this area. I finally made it out to Assateague, MD. earlier this week. I finally decided to heed everyone's advice, pack up my bare minimums for beach camping and make the trek. I welcomed summer with dashboard drumming and inviting every ounce of sun into the car through open windows. I was anxious to reveal my freckles and refresh the tan I had come back from Florida with just two weeks prior. You know that feeling of summer freedom that no one has the power to inhibit? You head to the beach with no resistance, no thoughts of vanity (as evident by my blue bandana, messy ponytail, and goodwill t-shirt), no distractions (blackberry and laptop left at home). I had my bare feet, aviators, a couple pieces of fruit, some hot dogs, and a nalgene.

A group of great friends joined me and as we headed over the bridge onto the island, you could taste the release. We left all tensions, all assumptions, all pressures, all baggage on the mainland and greeted the wild horses with an innocence that only comes when you let it in. Horses were on the side of the road and even came up to my car, looking for food. I reached the campsite and kicked my rainbows off my feet. Sand between those toes of mine exfoliating the last of my worries away. I ran to the water, first thing, just as I have always done on every trip to the beach since I was a little girl. Tradition. This time, I was joined by wild horses. Wasn't this a scene from a movie, perhaps? How did this ever happen in real life? Sunset behind me, flailing my way to the waves, and not far down the sand, horses matched my expression of freedom.

Grilling and campfires, cigars and beer, marshmallowed fingers and chocolate lips. The perfect camping trip.

I woke up the next morning on the sand, as more horses ran by. Cliches flooded my head, of course, but i couldn't help but dwell on the metaphor of that moment. I thought about this year. I offered a thanks and then a prayer. I asked for the courage to amar generosamente (to love freely). It's the theme of my friend Teresa's and her fiance John's wedding but I do believe it applies to me these days.


All I want is the wind in my hair
To face the fear but not feel scared
Wild horses I wanna be like you
Throwing caution to the wind, I'll run free too
Wish I could recklessly love like I'm longing to
I wanna run with the wild horses
Run with the wild horses
I see the girl I wanna be
Riding bare-back, care-free
Along the shore
If only that someone was me
Jumping head-first, head-long
Without a thought
To act and damn the consequence
I wanna break free
I wanna run too.


"Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it." -Braveheart-

amar generosante.