I went to the beach this week to breathe fresh air and soak in its peace and quiet. But like a screaming child in the holiness of a cathedral, an unrelenting jackhammer from nearby construction overpowered the sound of ocean waves. My toes gripped the sand as I tensed from the intrusion.

A mother, father, and newborn baby shared a towel in front of and to my right. The father held an umbrella over his young family, shielding them from the elements. If only it were that easy.

The storm creeped in from behind. Dark and threatening, it moved up the beach pushing sand along with it. The family abandoned its post, an umbrella no longer enough.

I left too, not able to withstand another storm.