Footprints in the Sand
Here are my footprints in the sand. There is something so
tempting about digging into the grains and feeling them wrap around my feet,
the warmth cuddling my bare toes. I’m obviously not the only one who likes
walking in the sand; there were many tracks, feet and shoe impressions
intertwining along the path. I could do it for hours, drifting along the
water’s edge on the beach.
This particular site is not at the shore, however; it is at
Atsion Lake on Route 206, part of Wharton State Forest in southern New Jersey
in the Pine Barrens. It was part of the iron bog and glassmaking industry that
existed in the mid 1700s to the mid-1980s. The red-tinted water reflects its
iron ore and cedar origins. Atsion was acquired by New Jersey in 1954 and
opened as a recreation area.
It is compelling to walk in sand even though the imprints are changeable and fleeting, prone to symbolism and clichés, and always left behind. Perhaps the lack of permanence is its attraction. Wind, water, other people, birds, and sometimes vehicles shift the sand and each day presents a clean palette for all who choose to make their mark. I find a sandy stroll is meditative and also a good reminder to enjoy today because life itself is all the same things as footprints in the sand.
What
can you still see in Atsion?
Trails and natural Atsion attractions:
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