Twenty years ago I sat on this same beach, under the same palm trees and stared out at the same ocean.
Janice and I were 16 year old teenagers hating our fair skin that demanded serious sunscreen and trying to not let the beautiful tans of other girls ruin our vacation.
We were here with our parents and old enough that we didn’t want to sit too close to them on the beach.
Now I’m the parent. My father has been gone for about ten years and my mom hasn’t been back to the beach in almost as many years.
I’m here with my husband and two children of my own, but I still feel like I can see my mom under her umbrella a few feet away and my father trying to take our photos. Except that it is me under the umbrella and me with the camera. And I’m the adult worried about skin cancer.
It’s all different but still the same. The beach is the same. The canal is the same. The streets have newer, fancier stores, but it all feels so familiar.
I didn’t expect my beach vacation to include so much road of memory lane.
But all the while we are creating new memories for our family… like our trip today with the girls to the aquarium. Julia and Sophia aren’t yet huge fans of the sand and surf, but they’re still enjoying the trip.
If you want to see a few mobile photos, friend me on Facebook.
I don’t have a consistent Internet connection, I can rarely seem to get Twitter to load and I forgot my digital photo card reader to get my ‘real’ photos off my camera, so I’m just uploading some mobile photos from my iPhone to Facebook… so now’s a great time for us to start being ‘Facebook friends‘.
My eyes drifted the moment I saw the word ‘beach’ in your side bar!! What a beautiful beach… and I too have some wonderful memories at the beach with family- thanks for sharing them and making me walk down memory lane 🙂
Very good writing indeed! I can imagined the picture of your happy family now and then.
That was a very touching story. It is so easy to get busy and let time slip from beneath us. This story reminded me to slow down and take in all the joys of life. Thank you!
What a great memory!!
Where are you vacationing? It sounds like a nice place, wherever it is. I hope you enjoy the time with your family.
P.S. I can’t believe you two are 36! You look much younger…I would have guessed 30.
Oh it looks so nice there! I’m suffering through 20 degree weather with 30 mph winds and could use some sand and surf too!
That’s a beautiful photo. I always enjoyed family vacations when I was growing up. My parents took all five of us kids to Florida every spring break. Today they still go to the same beach each year. Now that we all have families of our own it is hard to get down there with them each year.
The summer after my dad died, we went up to the Adirondacks, his favorite place and climbed a mountain that we climbed when we were little. We took my mom, and the moment at the top when we were looking down on the lake was bitter sweet, remembering my dad, but also knowing that he gave us that experience. It was all so familiar, but also thinking he would have loved doing this with his grandchildren and that made us both sad and happy that we could share it.
Sometimes I catch myself saying the same phrases that annoyed me when my mom told it to me. Time does go by fast. I know that the older I get, the more I appreciate my parents.
I have a beach I haven’t been to in 20 years… you inspired a mini-vacation while I remember that week.
Isn’t it funny how the roles change. I find myself consistently acting like my mom when I am around my 5 year old twins. I am not sure when the teenager in me changed to a middle aged housewife…but it’s okay…it’ all good!
Isn’t it amazing how things change but the memories remain the same. It is nice that you are able to share this memory with your family. I love Hawaii and I remember the first time I sat on that same beach in 1990 with my parents and brother and now I get to take my daughter for the first time this year. Enjoy your vacation!
Enjoy your travels and experiences with your family. Your memories make it the perfect vacation spot.
ps. hope you’re having a wonderful time! it looks beautiful!
it’s amazing to me how things change — how roles reverse and how quickly it seems to happen too! i feel like my teen years were yesterday!!!
Your post actually makes me kinda sad. I don’t think I could ever return to a vacation spot I went with parents after they were gone.
I hope you are enjoying your vacation. It looks a heck of a lot nicer than the weather we’ve got.
It’s the same place, yet totally different. Beautifully written. Glad you’re having a nice time (soak up some sun for us).
Doesn’t it make you feel like you’re still the kid in many ways? Like, how did you end up on that same beach with kids when you’re still a kid yourself?
Nell
Isn’t it strange how certain places can bring up such strong memories?
I added you to my friends list in Facebook:-)
It’s amazing the memories that come from something like that. I had a similar experience at a science museum (not as romantic as the beach though, haha). I could almost feel my mom holding my hand walking through it with me. Now we’re the grownups. Crazy how life works like that.
Have fun! Looks great.
glad you’re having a nice time… it’s funny how our minds work.
It is amazing how the tides change. We become the parents and all of a sudden the memories of our childhood are seen through our parents eyes as well. Glad you are enjoying your vacation. Personally, I would love to be sitting on the beach – it is FREEZING outside my house. 🙂
Very nicely written. I experienced the same feelings at the lake house when I realized I was the mom hanging up wet towels & making sure life jackets were buckled. Passing of the torch I guess :))
I’d love to see your pictures & added you to my Facebook friends.