I'm very blessed to say that I have grown up by the beach all my life. It was always a short car ride away. I had unlimited access to many beaches attached to many beach towns, and one of those beach towns became one of my favorite places to go and visit.

In the winter, the beach never comes to mind. It may be open and it may not have anyone on it, but it's dang cold. Too cold to bear the ocean's waves and the wind. Although we get some hot summers here in New Jersey, we can also get some brutal winters.

In the summer, the beach is always on my mind. It's open and (sometimes) free for everyone, but there are souls everywhere. That's okay, as long as some stranger is not kicking sand on me or sitting too close to me. In the summer, the beach is overtaken by tourists that sometimes I can't even enjoy it.

But when I can, and when I get that chance, it makes me happy.

Yes, it's cliche and corny, but the beach is my happy place.

The edge of the land is literally right in front of me. The ocean is roaring with the tides and the breeze. Some waves are rough and some are not. In life, you get a wave that can knock you down and pull you under. But you get back up.

You can also get a wave that is super calm, and all you can do to conquer it is jump over it.

When I get stressed, and there are plenty of times that I do, I head for the water. I get in my car and I drive until I reach the ocean. I walk through the sand. I find a spot and I lay there. I think about literally nothing, and all I do is listen.

I listen to the waves crash on the shore. I listen to the birds making their calls. I feel the breeze. I feel the sun. I feel no pressure.

The beach is my happy place because I get to think about nothing. Life stops for a while, and when I get back to my car, life resumes. The beach can cure any stress-related issue that I have. My brain is on beach mode. The sun is beating down on me while I'm covered in sunscreen, and my feet are in the Atlantic.

I ride the waves until I become exhausted. I have fun at my happy place. The beach is one of the best places on Earth, and it can be sad because I could take it for granted and not even realize that I am.

I really am blessed that I can have sand and ocean water to help with anything because I know it's not accessible to everyone, but everyone also has their own happy place.

The beach is mine.

Any type of problem, there I am at the beach soaking in good vibes; and I'm so lucky to call the beach my forever home.