When the World isn't big enough for your dreams

 

Greeting the Sea

My little Grace-girl is turning five this week and I'm quite literally stunned by her beauty.  Somehow she grew into a princess.  I don't mean the plastic Disney dress-up kind, but the kind that embraces the world with grace and poise. 


On our annual trip to the beach we pulled into a campground in the dead of night, pitched a tent by sheer willpower and collapsed into sleeping bags barely unfurled.  By the early light of dawn (yes, those are my kids camping next to you) the girls we all woke up and ran to the beach for our annual homecoming.  Baby Rain was on daddy's back, as it was raining and we still had far to drive that day.  But Grace-girl kicked off her sandals and ran out onto the sand with all the appearance of a child who will jump into frigid water without a moment's thought.  Then she stopped.  And she raised her hands gracefully to the sky and to the sea as if to say, "hello old friend.  I'm sorry I've been away so long.  You look lovely, today."  


When she came back to us she said she had to say hello as a mermaid returning to the sea.  


It's moments like these that make me glad I'm not tied to a traditional life.  God has given me a spectacular life, one full of adventure and unknown treasure.  We've chosen to homeschool our girls (for now, at least!) and that lends itself to all sorts of adventure.  A beach trip is more than a family vacation, it's a learning experience that will bring resonating memories for years to come.  While others are scrambling to get their supplies in order and buy new school clothes and worry about the new teacher and think about how to juggle schedules... we simply are.    Not that I don't worry and stress and think about things, but there is peace in knowing that this path is the right one and that it can only lead to more adventure.  


When we left the ocean for the year, we made one last stop at a well-traveled beach.  I found a shell to give to my Grace-girl and told her it was a goodbye gift from the ocean.  Her eyes sparkled, her face lit up and she looked at me with joy.  Then she turned to the ocean and blew one last kiss goodbye.  Until next year.