There’s a place where time softens, where the edge of the world hums with a rhythm as old as memory.
Two women move in quiet reverence, their bodies bending and flowing with something that speaks without words. They walk the shore, feel the water curl around them, dance in the golden light as if the horizon itself has opened its arms to cradle them.
They aren’t the first to find peace here, nor will they be the last. The pull to this place is strong, as constant as my gentle waves that lap against the shore. The scene seems eternal, yet beneath it all, there’s a fragility—an unspoken vulnerability that only those who listen closely can truly feel.
The Fragile Beauty of Florida’s Shores
The sands beneath their feet, the still waters reflecting the fading sky—these moments are
fleeting in ways few ever realize. Florida’s coastlines have always been beautiful, but their
beauty is a delicate thing, shaped by forces much larger than anyone can see. The rising tides of time, both natural and human-made, wear away at the edges.
There was a time when the land and I breathed freely together. But what was once untouched has become strained. The ever-growing presence of tourism, endless construction, and the thirst to exploit what is wild have left scars that don’t heal easily. What once felt infinite now seems precarious.
It’s hard to resist the lure of these beaches.
They invite the soul to slow down, to breathe, to reconnect. But those who visit often forget that what they’re drawn to is fragile, requiring protection and care. Too often, they take more than they give.
A Dance of Serenity and Strength
The two women move as though they know this, though it’s unspoken between them. One
stands closer, her laughter rising into the evening air, the still water mirroring her joy. The
other, seated on the sand, lets the last light of the day spill across her face, reflecting a quiet
calm.
In these simple moments, they seem to understand something deeper. Here, where I meet the land, serenity and strength exist in balance. My tide, though gentle, carries a weight that
steadies. The shore, though ever-changing, offers a sense of permanence.
Yet, the stillness they enjoy is not as unshakable as it seems. Beneath the surface, there is a
quiet plea—a hope that those who come to these shores will feel more than the warmth of the sun, that they’ll sense the need to preserve the delicate balance they’ve come to love.
The Price of Simplicity
Perhaps that’s the beauty of it—this simple connection to nature, found in the smallest of
things. The sound of soft laughter as my edge kisses bare feet. The way the breeze carries the scent of salt across sun-warmed skin. The fleeting moment when the sky meets me at the
horizon, just before the sun slips away. Simple moments, now under threat.
With each passing season, the pressure on my shores grows heavier. As more and more people arrive to take from the land, fewer seem to realize how much they leave behind. My beaches grow busier, my waters clouded. What was once a sanctuary for reflection and joy now carries the weight of exploitation.
In this dance between human and nature, there must be care.
The joy found here cannot come at the cost of the place itself. The serenity, the strength of those humans dancing at my feet, depends on the balance that is slowly being lost.
Listening to the Silent Plea
As the last light of day fades, the still waters and gentle shore hold their breath.
There’s a quiet hope that those who stand on the sand will listen—not just to the sound of my waves, but to the silence beneath them.
It’s not the grand gestures or sweeping views that will save my shores. Salvation will come from simple things once again: the love for a quiet sunset, the care for the fragile, the respect for the dance that has been going on far longer than any of us.
PS: We had this beach shooting last year and after a bit I started working on the idea of this post: use these pictures to reflect on the beauty and fragility of Florida's coastline, a true paradise so much in danger. So I crafted this little story as a tail told by the Ocean.
It was ready and planned to be published after summer, sometime in late September. I did not realize that that period would have been in the middle of hurricane season, a season that has been particularly devastating this year.
I postponed and held onto this post for some time, uncertain if celebrating Florida's beautiful coastlines was right while so many are still feeling the impact of recent hurricanes.
I worried about seeming distant, about overlooking the reality of what these storms left behind.
But after reflection, I realized that now, more than ever, we need reminders of what’s at stake. The beauty we cherish, the quiet peace of the shorelines—these places we hold so dear are more fragile than we sometimes care to admit.
I hope this piece will inspire everyone to be more responsible and self-aware of the impact of each action on our environment. Please consider to donate to relief hurricane initiatives!
Acknowledgements - Huge thanks to Sarah and Tasia for trusting me and helping create this! You are precious!
Words & Pictures: Laura Fanfarillo
Models: Sarah Lucas and Tasia Zwick
Comments