Losing yourself at the beach

I was watching yet another Tedx talk the other day and this poem came up.

It just so happened to coincide with me writing the first few web pages for my new adventure Build@Beach and feeling a little overwhelmed by the task of putting into words why (oh why) the beach is just such a special place, for me and so many other people.

So to combat my overwhelm I went for a walk along the seafront. And then I came across this poem. I think it explains part of my answer without me needing to say another word. Enjoy.

“Maggie and milly and molly and may 
went down to the beach(to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang 
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star 
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing 
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone 
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me) 
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea”

by E. E. Cummings