June 25

Ping. Ping. Ping-ping. Flags clink against hollow tin. Katie, Michelle, Tricia and Molly sit in front of me on the sand, backs resting on the exposed rock. Cheryl and Tom dip their toes in the sparkly water as a young girl rides her chocolate brown horse into the surf. Matt is sprawled out on a floating dock several hundred feet out into the ocean. Puppies sprint after rocks, shells, sticks into the waves. Kinsale is sweet.

The one thing everyone can agree on is how we can never explain to anyone what this place feels like. Pictures are too dull. Words too empty. And still, we try. What choice do we have?

The thought crossed my mind last night that most of life is purposed around this frail attempt. Whether we write books, film movies, record music, take photos, shoot television shows or are just writing emails, talking to our friends on the phone, chatting with a stranger, there is a commonality in our shortcomings. Its probably true that some people are better at finding descriptive words and others are especially talented at snapping a camera lens at just the right moment, but in the grand scheme of things, how successful are any of us at recreating that feeling for others?

Anne Lamott writes that she believes there is no point in a hopeless novel. Everyone is acutely aware of the terminal nature of life. Some of us may even be aware of our puny significance amongst the confusion and chaos that tends to direct most situations. But this is precisely why novels serve such an important purpose. Regardless of how inadequate we know we are at imitating the intricacies, the grandeur, the complexities we encounter daily, we still try. That gives us hope. Or, at least, it gives me hope. I try to remember that when I’m sitting in a particularly enjoyable spot, or laughing at something particularly silly, or glowing with warmth inside when connecting with someone over something particularly surprising, that I probably won’t be able to do my emotions justice. But there’s no reason I can’t keep trying. (353 words)