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The sound of waves, the sight of white caps and toes in the
sand.
What more? could
I ask for to calm the tempest in my soul.
The drive
to the shore is never too far away. I yearn for the feelings
that bring me to the place of memories.
Years
ago,? I walked the few miles? to and fro, the dime in my
pocket saved for a snow cone, never wasted on a bus fare.
I had a
friend back then who shared my love for the beach.? We also
shared many family secrets t hat kept us on the move.
We walked
and walked and we talked and? sometimes we were quiet. We
seemed to understand each other's need for silence.
Along the
way we stopped at a small grocer??™s, where her brother worked
during the summer. We always went around the back and he
would slyly share a slice of water melon which helped cool
us and prepare us for the rest of our journey.? The melon
juices running down our faces and clothes, we never minded.?
We knew the surf would make us clean again.?
We walked
and never even were tempted to take a ride that was offered.
We were two teenage girls, walking to the beach. When we
finally found our place on the beach, we put our well worn
towel on the hot sand, removed our sandals and experienced
the heat of the sand on our feet.? We silently removed our
shorts and into the water we ran.? Oh the glorious snap of
cold to our bodies often took our breath away.? ? And then we
both settled in for our floating in the salt water.?
Kicking and
laughing we played as if there were no tomorrow, certainly
no fear of the home life just a few miles away. No, for this
brief time in our lives, for as many days as we could get
away from our home after the chores were done, we were
FREE.? ?
The ocean
still calls me, but there will be no more walks to the
beach.? But when life seems so hard and no one seems to
understand, my? ocean calls to me.? I go.? I remember. I
laugh and I cry.? So many years ago.? I wonder if she
remembers those days. How could she forget??
The last
time I heard from her, she had lost her beloved.? But they
had shared many years on the beaches and in the boat he so
dearly loved.? She told me they planted a tree on the beach
in his memory. How sweet.? Nothing can compare to the
innocence of two young girls in the summer of the fifties.?
Just a dime to share an ice cone.? We made it last as long
as possible and the memories of our trip to the beach kept
us going for another day until our next getaway.? ? Some say
you cannot go back but in my mind, I go.
The water
calls me and yes, it calms my soul.? ? I remember.? The first
few? verses of Geneses reminds me of Who made those waters.?
I am humbled by His greatness and His power. He watched over
those two young girls so long ago and today, He watches over
me. ?
?© 2004
Nanci Stroupe
All Rights
Reserved
? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May you be blessed today.
Bob Johnston
Editor / Publisher
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