Sometimes the most beautiful thing you can discover in a wildlife refuge is yourself.
There is something magical about a place that asks nothing of you.
No appointments.
No deadlines.
No expectations.
Just come as you are.
And breathe.
Welcome to Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge.
One of the most extraordinary places I know.
And not simply because of its wildlife.
Oh, there’s plenty of that!
Songbirds, deer, falcons, hawks, waterfowl, pheasants, and, if we’re fortunate, the magnificent Snowy Owls that sometimes grace our shores during the winter months.
In fact, just this morning, I photographed my very first Snow Bunting!
But that’s tomorrow’s story.
Today, I want to tell you about something else.
The people.
And the remarkable way this beautiful little corner of Rhode Island makes room for all of us.
You see, Sachuest Point is much more than a wildlife refuge.
It’s a refuge for the human spirit.
For couples who have spent a lifetime together, it’s a place to walk side by side, sharing stories they’ve told a hundred times and somehow still enjoy hearing.
For young lovers, it’s a place where the ocean provides the music, the morning sunshine sets the mood, and the simple pleasure of being together is more than enough.
For friends, it’s a place to catch up.
To laugh.
To talk about everything.
And absolutely nothing.
And for those of us who occasionally need a little solitude?
Oh, my.
What a gift.
The wide, well-maintained gravel paths wind through coastal meadows, thickets of autumn color, and spectacular ocean vistas.
You can walk for miles with nothing more demanding than the occasional decision about which direction to turn.
And every direction offers something wonderful.
The air itself seems different.
Cooler.
Cleaner.
Alive with the unmistakable fragrance of the Atlantic.
The ocean rolls against ancient rocks, sending white spray into the morning sunlight.
The wind whispers through the grasses.
A hawk might suddenly appear above the treetops.
Or a little songbird might emerge from the underbrush to remind you that you are not, in fact, alone.
And then there are those moments when nothing happens.
Absolutely nothing.
No spectacular wildlife encounter.
No breathtaking aerial performance.
No photographic opportunity demanding immediate attention.
Just peace.
And I have come to appreciate those moments every bit as much as the extraordinary ones.
Because somewhere along the way, we have become remarkably good at filling every available moment of our lives.
With obligations.
With information.
With worries about things that happened yesterday and things that might happen tomorrow.
We have become so accustomed to being busy that doing nothing can almost feel irresponsible.
Imagine that!
We’ve managed to make relaxation something we feel guilty about.
Sachuest has a wonderful way of correcting that.
It reminds us that life isn’t simply about what we accomplish.
It’s also about what we experience.
What we notice.
And whom we share it with.
I have watched couples walking together, talking quietly, completely absorbed in each other’s company.
I’ve seen fishermen perched on rocky outcroppings, patiently waiting for the Atlantic to offer up a little excitement.
I’ve watched runners disappear around a bend, their footsteps carrying them toward whatever personal goal brought them out that morning.
And I’ve seen people standing perfectly still, gazing across the water.
Not doing anything.
Just being.
Every one of them enjoying the same extraordinary place in a wonderfully different way.
There’s something deeply romantic about that.
Not simply the romance between two people, although there’s certainly plenty of opportunity for that.
But the romance of being alive.
Of discovering that happiness doesn’t always require an elaborate plan, an expensive vacation, or some extraordinary accomplishment.
Sometimes it requires nothing more than a pair of comfortable shoes and the willingness to wander.
I have to confess something.
Even after all my visits, I still get excited driving across the bridges toward Sachuest.
I wonder what the morning will bring.
Will the sunrise paint the horizon in gold?
Will the Sakonnet Point Lighthouse emerge from the morning haze?
Will a falcon suddenly appear?
Will a deer step quietly out of the brush?
Or will I simply enjoy another magnificent morning beside the ocean?
I’ve learned that it really doesn’t matter.
Because I have never left Sachuest feeling that the morning was wasted.
Not once.
And perhaps that’s the greatest gift this place has given me.
The understanding that wonder doesn’t always arrive with a flourish.
Sometimes it comes quietly.
In the shape of a windswept tree.
In the sound of waves breaking against the rocks.
In the sight of two people walking together, enjoying the companionship that makes an ordinary morning extraordinary.
Or in the simple realization that, for a little while, there is absolutely nowhere else you need to be.
You don’t have to arrive at Sachuest with a reverence for nature.
Somehow, nature has a way of inspiring that reverence in you.
So here’s my invitation.
Take a little time for yourself.
Or take someone you love.
Bundle up if it’s cold.
Walk slowly.
Breathe deeply.
Look around.
And give yourself permission to enjoy the world without feeling the need to accomplish anything.
You might discover a new bird.
You might discover a new trail.
You might discover something wonderful about the person walking beside you.
Or perhaps you’ll rediscover something about yourself.
And wouldn’t that be something?
Because Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge isn’t simply a place where wildlife finds sanctuary.
It’s a place where people can find a little of what life so often takes away.
Peace.
Perspective.
Connection.
And wonder.
Oh, and one more thing.
You might want to bring a camera.
Trust me on that one.
You never know what might happen.
And that’s half the fun.
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