If I Had Wings

Walking along the beach, watching the irregular surf roll in under our feet, I watched 3 little Sanderlings, their slender little legs taking them just a fraction beyond the swift oncoming wave. I thought, I wish I could move that fast. Once, I believe I even ran to escape the fast rolling of the water. My feet and legs were always soaked, and sometimes even the edge of my culottes. If I had wings! But wait! Those little Sanderlings have wings -- they can fly, why don't they?

I continued to watch those tiny little, swift-moving legs, and then the Gulls. Laughing Gulls on the dry sand. Oh there goes one, into the water. We've seen them before, they too use their legs to escape getting their wings wet. Except this one. I said to myself: He's not as fast as the Sanderling -- he'll never make it. And at once the Gull lifted its wings -- up and over he went, in a second, laughing his head off. Oh, if I had wings!