When I came across this picture in my photos file I immediately smelled the salty sea and caught a whiff of sunscreen. I remember the blue skies, happy shouts from the beach as swimmers and beach combers played. I took this picture last year when we went to St. George Island, Florida, on a day trip with Will, Christi, and Mattie.

Charles and I sat comfortably in a shady shelter watching the waves, the sun bathers, and the kite flyers. We enjoyed the tales of family members as they came to report on: a crab with one claw, a gigantic wave, and a sand castle of coke-cup-shaped turrets. At noon we spread a delicious picnic for those with sun-kissed cheeks as well as we onlookers. All along, seagulls flew over the waves, then perched for a minute in contemplation on rafters or rails within feet of us. Now and then the birds made some sort of announcement with their distinctive call.

Since I couldn’t roam the beach hunting seashells as I loved to do, others brought shells to me. I listened to an echo of ocean waves in a large broken clam shell. I ran my fingers along the swirls on a hermit crab’s little home. I dusted white sand out of a dark oyster shell. I arranged all of them on the table, along with numerous other shells bearing a hint of sunset on their silky smooth insides. I took a deep breath of salty ocean air and only wished for a moment that I could stand in the surf and feel the sand sucking away from my toes. A seagull lit on a beam above me and stared at me, maybe wondering if I didn’t have a handout. He is a very opportunistic bird.

Years ago I would have been able to shower the gull with bread crumbs, back in the day when that was allowed. With a squawk sounding like an ungreased screen door, he would have snatched a piece of bread right from my hand. Scavengers of the shore, that’s the seagulls. I love to watch them fly just above the water, then dive under and come up with a hapless sea creature. Did I say these birds are opportunistic? It’s not surprising that one will eat absolutely anything he has an opportunity to grab, dead or alive.

Here I am sitting on my porch, far inland, thinking about that seagull who stared at me for a full five minutes. Turned sideways, his distinctive bill looks ready to scoop something up. Idly, I skimmed through online fun facts about seagulls and learned they, unlike most animals and birds, have glands above their eyes that remove salt from the water so they can drink from the sea or from lakes and streams. Being a very sociable bird, the seagull adapts to various locales, though his favorite is the seacoast. His white and gray coloring and vocalization make him readily identifiable.

Thinking the particular bird I met that day is probably dead, I was surprised to learn that seagulls live for 10-20 years, the oldest known being 49. I was not surprised to learn that the Bible mentions seagulls in the long list of unclean foods we should not eat. If I were starving, I’m sure I’d be thankful for a seagull wing or breast. As it is, I do not relish the thought!

I’m glad the seagull can squawk its call, wheel freely over sand, sea, and palms, and come to rest for a short time where I can see him up close and personal. He knows how to make good of any opportunity. I guess I might learn a thing or two from him.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:12 (NIV)