I’ve painted the view to Lovekin Rock at Long Beach many times but never when fading into twilight. When I lived nearby, years ago now, I walked the length of this beach, often alone, rain or shine. There were even times when I was there in the dark with friends, all of us young then, when we would be wrapped in the mystery of night, the warmth of friends and the excitement of our daring, searching the sky and looking to the waves for signs of the ocean’s bioluminescence. These were the days before the area became a national park, a time of innocence and optimism for our lives and futures, none of us yet shouldering—or even imagining— the weight of adult concerns. Even so, I know that at any time a walk along the shore will dispel most burdens and lift the spirit. Whether alone or with another, it’s always going ‘home’.