lighter footprint

I walk the beaches everyday that I am at the Outer Banks.  For me my favorite activity on the beach is not the normal lathering up with suntan lotion and laying out on the beach with a good book for hours tanning.   No, no, with my fair freckled skin all you would see on the beach after the initial blinding glare would be a sun baked lobster out on the sand. 

I love to hike for miles on the beach (lathered with 50 sunscreen) photographing and collecting shells and other unusual goodies that wash up on the beach.  Many of the wonderful gifts that washed up for me to look at with wonder I leave, I just document with my camera. 

I am always thrilled to find something unusual or different.  While I was walking along the water line I saw this wonderful little shell roll up with the tide and thought “Oh my, I have never found one like this”.   I took a quick image of it and picked it up and started to place it in my shell bag.   But before I placed it in there I could tell there was something different, it felt heavy.  I stopped and turned it over and to my surprise there was someone in there!!!   I turned around and placed it back where it was and walked on down the beach. 

I understand that as humans we sometimes leave a heavy footprint but I believe we all can live together with nature if we just be kind and strive to leave a lighter footprint.