At the first touch, the chill was a stranger. Expectations of warm sand heated by a peeking sun slipped away. The cooled soil failed to pale in comparison to the weather, icy and chilled, in that it was biting unlike the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard that were solid in my memory and senses. We gingerly tip toed along; the morning air whisking by, the waves of the sound lapping the shore settling in our ears and our memories. The North Carolina air stung with salt and chilled your bones, the sun hidden behind a looming veil, the blue sky, dull, as if trapped beneath an opaque glass. It was all no matter to us. Our family content to settle in one another’s company and cherish the moments we had shared, and would share.

The laughter of my aunt bountiful with jovial spirit and rimmed with wisdom and knowledge, voices detailing stories and penetrating discussion to addition to the talk with their thoughts and opinions. All the activity in the environment that surrounded me drew me into the world of our family. Securing me in a place I felt comfort in and relinquishing me from reality; the cars exhausting fuel, the commotion of nearby residences. The aspect of the activity we had been drawn out her to do, collect shells, I suddenly perceived as elementary compared to the concept of emotion and comfort that this situation brought me.

I absent mindedly scaled the beach as I traced the patterns on the shell I clasped. Another sudden notion journeyed its way into my thoughts; I contemplated the speculation, and comprehended it. The essence of the shell was illuminated by the essence of our family. The shell; a home to a creature, passed on to those who needed it most, welcoming anyone who ventured into it, was only an object, once inhabited, it only mattered what was inside rather then what was on the outside. And isn’t that what family is? It doesn’t matter what the family is, blood related or related by similarities or friendship, it only matters who is on the inside. I surprised myself at that moment with the deep thought. The philosophical aspect of the family on the beach that day was only a morsel of who we really are. I was possibly over estimating the intent of this shell. Maybe all that a family is is simply right there in the word; Family - A group of people related by similarities who are able to support each other with love and kindness. And isn’t that what family is?