Learn the speaker's experiences at an American beach in New York
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| Manhattan Beach |
| Having grown up in Southern California, I spent a great deal of time at the beach. And although I loved the heat of the day, my favorite time was just after sunset at twilight. The quality of light on a clear evening makes everything just a bit more magical because it is an in-between time—not day, but not fully night. The moon shines off the breaking waves in a silver line and the lights on the small pier shine out over the water. |
| Several years ago, I was walking along the shore, watching the fishermen drop their lines from the pier and thinking. Suddenly, there was a shout and then a growing commotion. A young man was attracting a crowd as he walked down the pier, dragging his line through the water. As he got closer to the shore, I saw his catch. It was a huge ray with at least an eight-foot wingspan, and it was angry. |
| The water churned as the ray tried to swim away, thrashing through the waves. The moon shone off of its silky gray skin, and I swear its eyes showed intelligence. |
| That ray was aware it was about to meet its fate. |
| I tore my own eyes away from the scene as the fisherman and his entourage slowly fought the ray and hauled it in. I didn't want to watch that magnificent creature come to an end. Not on that beach, not in that light. |
| There is something desperately beautiful about any living thing fighting for its very existence, even if the outcome is death. |
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