With the ocean to my left and the sunset to the right, my evening walk along A1A after a swim in the ocean is a true delight.

State Road A1A is the main ocean side road that runs from Key West up into Georgia along the Atlantic Ocean. SR A1A is designated the A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Highway, a National Scenic Byway and in most cases is the main roadway through many oceanfront towns. It’s also the title of Jimmy Buffett’s fifth album.

Six years ago, while still living in New Hampshire, I spent some time up in the northern part of Florida. I was staying with a friend in laceName w:st="on">PalmlaceName> laceType w:st="on">CoastlaceType> which is just north of laceName w:st="on">FlaglerlaceName> laceType w:st="on">BeachlaceType>. It was late spring and I was driving a Sebring convertible at the time. Evenings were a perfect time to put the top down and drive down A1A. With the stars above and the sound of the ocean’s surf close by, my drives on A1A were therapeutic.

Driving along this ocean road in laceName w:st="on">FlaglerlaceName> laceType w:st="on">BeachlaceType>, A1A became the inspiration for my company name – A1A Press, of which Pug At The Beach is a division.

Naming my company A1A Press was a symbolic gesture. I knew I’d be back in Florida for good. I wasn’t sure when, or how, but I knew I’d be back.

When I took this photo tonight (that’s the PugMobile in the foreground) it occurred to me that, yes, I am indeed back for good. I’ve made my dream of living in a little latitude come true. Was it easy? No. It was hard work. And yet at the same time the energy needed to make this happen flowed with relative ease. Once I got into a groove, the energy moved me forward. And once I got a positive energy people were quick to get positive with me and encourage me which then contributed to the energy flow.

So here’s a special thanks to all the people who cheered me on. And here’s a wish for all those people out there who feel less than enthusiastic about their future. Define your dream, choose your symbol and send out lots of positive energy that you can do it because you can. I did. And you can, too.

<*(((><

copyright 2008 Diana Taylor

Photo credit: Diana Taylor, SR A1A, Delray Beach, Florida

Information on A1A courtesy of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

For cut and paste:
http://www.margaritaville.com (Jimmy Buffett)
http://www.pugatthebeach.com (Pug At The Beach)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A1A (Wikipedia)