With my dad at Redondo Beach... enjoying the sunset!
With my boys...
Last week the boys and I got to spend the day with my dad. What a treat! It was a wonderful day; seafood, the ocean, the beach, my dad, my boys and a glorious sunset! WOW (no words)
I'm sure we all have memories/lessons we've learned from our parents, this day remineded me of one of my favorite memories from my childhood that I'd like to share with you now:
I was very young, maybe ten years old, the very first time my dad took us to Santa Monica Beach. I can still remember when I saw the ocean for the very first time, fell in love with it! Looking at its immensity scared me but I was still mesmerized by it. I remember wanting to go in the water and play, so I did. I did not like the way the waves would throw me round and roll me on the sand. My legs and arms got scratched from being dragged in the sand by the waves. I would get up again and again and try to stay on my feet just a few minutes before the next big wave would roll me over one more time. I saw that my dad was deep in the water but he was not getting knocked over. I thought that maybe because he was older, stronger and bigger than me he was able to stay on his feet unlike me. After a while he came over and held both my hands with both his hands and told me to turn sideways against the waves and to loosen up my body – not to tensed up. He said that if the waves cut through my body they will not knock me down but if I stand stiff facing the waves the force from the ocean would knock me back and drag me in the sand. So that’s what we did for a long while, he held my hands with his, we stood sideways against the waves , facing each other and we both jumped together really high every time a wave came, sure enough I was not knocked over anymore.
This is a perfect metaphor. I feel that I can stand on my feet (and even have fun) for a long time as long as I’m holding on to those who truly care for me.
I was very young, maybe ten years old, the very first time my dad took us to Santa Monica Beach. I can still remember when I saw the ocean for the very first time, fell in love with it! Looking at its immensity scared me but I was still mesmerized by it. I remember wanting to go in the water and play, so I did. I did not like the way the waves would throw me round and roll me on the sand. My legs and arms got scratched from being dragged in the sand by the waves. I would get up again and again and try to stay on my feet just a few minutes before the next big wave would roll me over one more time. I saw that my dad was deep in the water but he was not getting knocked over. I thought that maybe because he was older, stronger and bigger than me he was able to stay on his feet unlike me. After a while he came over and held both my hands with both his hands and told me to turn sideways against the waves and to loosen up my body – not to tensed up. He said that if the waves cut through my body they will not knock me down but if I stand stiff facing the waves the force from the ocean would knock me back and drag me in the sand. So that’s what we did for a long while, he held my hands with his, we stood sideways against the waves , facing each other and we both jumped together really high every time a wave came, sure enough I was not knocked over anymore.
This is a perfect metaphor. I feel that I can stand on my feet (and even have fun) for a long time as long as I’m holding on to those who truly care for me.
1 comment:
Carmen, what a beautiful story and reminder of what is important! In case no one has told you today....You are amazing!
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