Years spent in the Pacific Northwest brought many joys and indelible memories. One is the epiphany of sunshine. After months of gray and days of drizzle that seemed endless, clouds would open onto brilliant blue sky beyond words. It’s not just the Absolute Clear air, the dewy green fresh smelling forest. Nor the warm rays liberating the spirit of steam from soggy shapes, glinting on pristine waters, and promising to bring color back to all life, including our sheltered skin. Sunshine after months of drear is a transcendent moment beyond description for the hardy souls who Winter there. I felt whispers of that bright moment flying the Oregon coast. Not when leaving Portland for Grants Pass via the coast and noting with disappointment the low clouds that kept us high and onshore at Lincoln City.
5194 Bad News
Even though this coastal cling had shown on the satellite before takeoff, I’d been hoping it might clear by the time we got there. Rather than return inland for our flight we decided to carry on, skirting the edge in case there might be a break somewhere along our route to Gold Beach where we’d follow the river inland. I was content to take in scenes like this that would have been missed.
5198 Blue Button
What’s more fun than a giant blue button in a collage of shapes and colors? Maybe by taking notice of that as we flew the edge, a window opened back into my past in this region. Whatever the reasons, when the clouds did open up around Stonefield Beach we dipped down offshore and I felt that old magic of a Seattle sunny day.
5209 Sunshine Moment
As if on cue, a splash of sunlight penetrated an opening in the blowing clouds further offshore to highlight this cave where people have sometimes sat over the ages. In that moment, centuries ago, I was there contemplatively listening to the surf as a large bird slid across the sky, lifting my heart. Though we’ve driven it several times and even flown it before, this stretch of coast was all new for us after the gloom opened to reveal it to us afresh.
5210 New Shore
It seemed created for us in this moment, humming slowly and quietly along in our magic bubble. We passed a young couple alone on a wide beach, oblivious in their moment to our delight in discovered nostalgia for a place we have never truly been. An exhilaration akin to sun after rain, and dreams of free flight. There’s no place like Now.
5218 Moment In The Sun
John & Anne Wiley 
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