A few nights ago, after Joe and I ran some errands, he drove along the beach so that I could see the ocean. For miles, we rode along, looking at the cute little houses, seeing the crashing waves and sand in between the sets of apartments and condos. Then Joe took me to one of my all-time favorite spots in the Los Angeles area, Palos Verdes. As we drove along looking for the place we used to walk, we thought the sun had already set. To our pleasant surprise, the sun was an orange globe still sitting just above the horizon when we stepped out of the car, put on sweatshirts and jackets, and walked over to the cliffside. The cool air stung my eyes as I smiled gleefully at the pink clouds, glowing sun, and the ocean waves below us. I alternately watched the sunset and the swirling seafoam as giddiness and familiarity filled me up inside.

"Joe, look!" I said, pointing to the sun, which had already crept much closer to the horizon.

We both stared at the sunset occurring right before our very eyes. I'm not sure if I've ever watched a sunset so closely before in my life, if I've ever seen the sun just sink below the waves like that. I watched until the very last speck of pink over the ocean disappeared from view. The sun was gone. And it was time for us to head off, too.

I skipped a little on the way back to the car. This is why it's so great to be back, I thought. This place. This lighthouse, this view of the ocean. I love the drive out there, the glass chapel, the palm trees, the feel of a quaint ocean village not far at all from the excitement and lights of the nearby cities. The feeling of being there again was nothing short of elation.

It's great to be back.