David first became aware of Nice through references in songs, or smells emanating from dried herbs at the local spice shop. He learned more about Nice, and the Provence region, in the classroom. He fantasized about the passionate way of life on the Cote D’Azur. 

Now that David was finally there in person, he felt like he had accomplished a goal he hadn’t realized he had set for himself. Walking the streets of Nice, he was greeted with an unexpected wind. A breeze with gentleness that passes through the region. This sensation cannot be taught in a classroom or captured in a photograph. Feeling this breeze is the difference between experience and knowledge. While both are important, only one can be reduced to sensations.  

This gentle breeze, all at once, soothes the heat, carries scents, and creates meditative sounds. It has the breathe of life. The spirit of this place righteously creates an environment that prioritizes its time and energy to create meaningful relationships with nature, man and a respectful cohesion. There’s an exertion of simplistic living, where efforts and values are placed on local bounties of vegetables and fish from markets, courtyards used for free public music and entertainment. It’s too exhausting to be egotistical but uses energy to bring joy to peoples souls by creating community and wellness. 

Walking through a field of lavender on the outskirts of the city, David realizes his good fortune. While certainly he still had a long way to go, he wanted to make sure he appreciated the moment.

While the sun was bright, and its rays soaked the shoreline with light, the breeze from the sea kept David comfortable, both physically and spiritually.  

Inspired to cool off in the sea, David starts heading to the beach. Along the way, he passed people jumping off cliffs into the crashing waters. A fearless sense of living permeated the region. People were less concerned about the potential for fear, and more concerned about maximizing the miracle that is life.

Arriving at the beach, the water look like bloomed blueberries clustered on a shrub. The sky, only a few shades lighter than the water, contained clouds that appeared painted on by one of the renaissance painters that used to populate the area. The shoreline, filled with people representing all shapes, sizes, ages, and ethnicities, indulging amongst each other.

One thing that caught David by surprise, was the composition of the sand on the beach. This sand was not the same sand that David had enjoyed on the beaches of Michigan when he was growing up. The beaches of Nice are made entirely of rocks varying in so many different sizes. Each of the rocks has been polished smooth by countless years of exposure to the sea, but can be difficult to navigate on foot.

After gently stepping across the cobbled shoreline, David dips his feet into the famed Cote D’Azure. Needing a respite from the rocky beach, he swims to deeper water. As water inevitably gets into his mouth, David starts to understand why Mediterranean fish is so delicious. Any creature living its life in this seasoned brine, is immersed in flavor. David loves God’s gentle, thoughtful actions. 

He notices a fellow swimmer, from a neighboring country who seems to either be playing or struggling to stay afloat. It quickly becomes apparent that this swimmer is not playing a game.  

David starts to swim towards him, at a little faster pace, adrenaline is starting to take over, but he’s still unsure if he’s in need of help. The kid eventually pushes his head past the surface of the water, lets out a gasp for air as he’s trying to yell for help, and then plummets back under the water. He’s drowning and seconds from dying. David’s heart sinks and has an “oh crap” moment. Human instinct to save overwhelms him and he covers the distance at an alarming pace, David is a good swimmer. David can see his hands and the swishing of water at its surface; he approaches the swimmer and wraps his arms around him. David lifts him above the water, air filling his lungs and his breathing is panicked, but he’s breathing. 

David holds him above water as he swims a backstroke towards the beach. When they eventually get to shallow water, David stands him up, puts his weight and arm around him shoulder and begins to walk him to the beach. He sits him down on the rocks and although he’s breathing heavy, he’s alive. He doesn’t speak English, his friends are hurrying towards them having seen what just happened. Before they get there, David asks just to make sure, “are you good?” He appears to understand what David is asking and gestures what seems to be a yes. 

David, stepping on the “beach," still perplexed at the audacity of the rocks instead of the sand, but he makes his way back to his beach chair.