Dearest Jersey Shore,

I honestly do not even know where to begin. You have been a part of my life forever and I am beyond grateful for that. You saw me for the first time when I was a child. I would carelessly play amongst your sand, constantly splash in your waves, and collect as many seashells as possible. I would practice my cheerleading routines for everyone to see and do flips along the shore. My cousin and I would make string bracelets and try to sell them to other beach-goers. Looking back on my memories with you brings a smile to my face. You really did complete my childhood.

As a twenty-year-old, I have learned to appreciate you more and more. You are no longer just the place that I can go to build awesome sandcastles and catch sand crabs, but you are the place that has become my safe haven, a place that makes all of my worries disappear. When I am with you my mind only focuses on your beautiful atmosphere because nothing compares to the peacefulness that you offer.

You will always be the greatest escape. I crave the feeling of your sand between my toes and your ocean breeze grazing through my hair. I crave the feeling of my beach towel as I lay down and soak up the sun. I crave the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. I can confidently say that you will never seize to amaze me. Your views always take my breath away. You make watching the sunrise and the sunset that much better. Even on the cloudiest days, you are still perfect.

You have brought so much happiness to my life. I do not know what I would do without you during the summer. During the school year, I sit in class daydreaming and looking forward to reuniting with you.Without you, my summers would not be as much fun and I would not have the perfect place to relax and clear my mind of any stress. You have the ability to calm me down. I can always count of you to make me feel better.

I want to thank you endlessly for being my break from reality. Thanks for allowing me to be lazy and for exposing me to the beauties of nature. Thank you for being my natural therapy. Thank you for being the perfect place to nap. Thank you for giving me the greatest tan, which sometimes starts as a little burn. Thank you for making my summer reading books easier to get through. Most importantly, thank you for never letting me down, especially when I need you the most. Thank you for being you.

I am looking forward to spending many of my days with you this summer. It is going to be a great one!

Sincerely,

A loving beach bum