Why I Love Folly Beach

When I was thirteen years old, I suffered a traumatic injury on Folly Beach, South Carolina that left me feeling like I never wanted to return to the beach again. I suppose a psychologist would say that I was suffering from a dose of PTS, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which had me associating beaches, particularly Folly, with the bad experience.  It took the coaxing of my dear mother to get me to set my feet in the sand again, despite me kicking and screaming along the way. But I’m glad she did. For it was only after that horrible experience that I came to truly appreciate and love the place known as Folly.

Yes, I admit that I am in love with a beach. Fortunately, my wife is okay with me having Folly as my mistress because she shares my admiration for this tiny sea isle. So today I sit and ponder what it is about Folly that makes it so special to me. 

First of all, I love Folly because she is unpretentious. There’s nothing flashy or glamorous about her, yet she commands my respect, just as I would respect someone who says, “I am who I am and if you don’t like it you can take a flying leap.” I also love her because of her strength and fortitude. Just like her sister barrier islands, she stands guard against a sometimes ill-tempered Atlantic, protecting James Island and peninsular Charleston against the ravages of the sea. If it weren't for Folly those areas would have been devastated by Hurricane Hugo's storm surge, resulting in a flood that would have matched the one New Orleans experienced. Folly suffered horribly that night in September of 1989, yet she came back better and stronger than before, making her a heroine in my eyes.

Despite her toughness, though, there is a softer, seductive side to Folly. Just give her a chance and she will intoxicate you with her charms and whisper softly in your ear the words that she has spoken to me many times: "Come as you are and let your troubles melt away. Leave your shoes behind and feel my sand between your toes. I will comfort you and make you remember who you really are. Renourish your body in my warm, salty water. Renourish your spirit by letting the wind blow through your hair while you gaze out to where the sky meets the sea. Breathe in my scent and exhale slowly. Slow down. There’s no need to rush here. Take the time to talk to your family and friends. Learn to laugh again. Be free. Do things you wouldn’t otherwise do. Find the fun in your life again. I promise I won’t tell—what happens at Folly stays at Folly. If you do those things, I promise you will leave me with a smile and will love me forever. And I promise I will always be here, waiting for you. And I will wait for your children and their children and their children. For I am as ageless and timeless as the ocean that washes over me daily and renews my shore."

Could you resist a temptress like that? Not me. That’s why I’m head over heels in love with Folly. It’s okay if you feel the same way--I’m not a jealous lover and Folly has plenty of love to go around. So go ahead and let her embrace you and work her charms on you. I promise you will come away a changed person.

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