Chapter 1
The beach inspired reflection. Appreciating the vastness of the sea opened the mind. I walked alone on the damp sand just lapped by the waves, the foam still receding.  The panorama of setting sun, tranquil waters, and wispy clouds painted a permanent picture on my memory.  Stepping in the soft sand made it squish between my toes, another reminder of how nature touched me.  Crescent Meadow Beach, where children flew their kites and frolicked on the shore, begged the masses to come and communicate with it. It was a small, town-owned beach, with high-backed white lifeguard chairs, and a couple of playgrounds. Having spent a healthy amount of time here as a youth made me familiar with this place.  However, I wouldn't be staying for much longer. 
     Ironically, during my high school days, twenty-something years ago, coming to the beach had occupied my thoughts more so than the due date of my next book report.  Growing up in a white, middle-class neighborhood in Setauket, New York, on the north shore of Long Island, I considered the Three Villages and its beaches my teenage playground.