In shops at the coast it’s common to see cute signs and trinkets that are just begging to be plucked off the shelf and added to the knick-knacks in your home. A few years ago I spent four days at the coast for a vacation and focused time writing. Now the shelf behind me has a sign “Cabana Boy Wanted. No Experience Needed.” Really I’d prefer a personal barista to a cabana anything but I’d take what I could get.

One of the signs I’ve seen in multiple places is “Beach hair. Don’t care.” With all of the ocean breezes that whip around, sand castles to be made, and waves to jump into, it makes perfect sense that hair should be the last of your concerns during a day at the beach. Plus, with all of that wide open space, where are you going to keep a mirror anyway.

When I look back at pictures of days at the beach, I really don’t pay attention to my hair or anyone else’s. The picture that starts this post is from an adventure in San Diego last summer, celebrating my graduation from school and the fact we were in San Diego during the summer (which is a splendid reason to celebrate). The little one plopped on top of me has the wildest, greatest curls ever. And she is a total beach girl who is always ready to sink her toes into the sand and jump over, under, or through the next wave. When I look at our picture together, its the smiles that I see captured, that’s it. It was a chilly and perfectly perfect day.

When I take finish line pictures at races, it’s kind of the same thing. I am a sweaty mess in most of those pictures. And during this time of year I may be a combination of sweat and rain. Not exactly worthy of a magazine cover shoot. But that sweat is nothing but glory in the picture stand on the good and done side of the finish line, with medal in hand and real food coming soon. Now I could always stop a block or two from the finish line to dry off my face, adjust my bandana, fluff my shirt, and practice a good hip jut to the camera man. But why would I want to stop to primp when I am inches of just stopping because I’m awesome (and done!).

Beach hair. Don’t care.

Finished runner. She’s a stunner.

#52sparks is my year-long writing series based on an art prompt challenge. The title is inspired by a quote from Star Wars: The Last Jedi: “We are the spark, that will light the fire that’ll burn the First Order down” (Poe Dameron). The spark that lights a fire to toast a marshmallow or to ravage a forest begins in the space of an inch. So just imagine what hundreds of inches and words can do.