The beginning of summer does weird things to me. I spend a lot of time remembering memories that I had with my parents. It makes me wish that my Mom and Dad only lived around the corner from me. They’d pull in my driveway and we’d barbeque, and steam corn on the cob. Eat lobster and buckets of steamers. Drink wine and laugh. I’d almost give anything for it. It makes my heart sad a lot of the time, not having them here with me. Some of Brian's family is here, but it just is not the same.
I think I have the summertime blues...
Last night, B and I were driving home from a drink and an appetizer at Seaside Johnnies. I had the window rolled down. We passed these houses that reminded me so much of my childhood on Mayflower Beach. They looked like cottages, a little bit weathered from the wind and the salty air. It made me think of the vacations that my family would spend at the Cape.
I remember waking my parents up at the slightest sign of sunlight, waiting for them to get up so we could head to the beach. I remember lugging beach bags and those heavy striped chairs up the path to the beach, which was literally only a two minute walk. Walking barefoot on the path and always catching pebbles under my toes, and complaining. I’d bring books upon books and my little boom box with my tunes of the summer.
I remember racing to the top of the sand dunes to get a glimpse of where the tide was. If the tide was high, I knew I’d have to sit and read and hang out for a few hours and wait it out. When the tides were low, that was my favorite time of the day. The tides would go out for miles with damp wet sands and tiny wade pools left for exploring. Basically, there was so much space that you could separate yourself from other people and feel like you had the beach to yourself.
Low tide was also a favorite of my Dad’s. I remember that it would make him restless. He would itch to take walks and check things out. Together, we would take never-ending walks that felt like we were gone for hours. We’d pretend that we were pirates and dodge the wade pools by pretending that they were battery acid or some time of poison that we couldn’t touch with our bare toes.
I remember even as a little girl, wanting to get to know my father inside and out. Making him tell me funny stories about what he was like when he was my age. I remember the look of happiness on him. It’s so clear to me in my memories of him- hearing his laughter so loud. He would laugh and smile and play with me all day.
At the end of a beach day, I remember going back to the cottage to rinse off in the outdoor shower. I remember the smell of the salt and sand, and squealing at the little water bugs that would make their way inside the old wooden shower. I remember that while being in the shower water, my skin would be so tan and tender. My hands white on the palm and brown on my skin.
After showering, my Mom always had something special planned for us to do. We always went out for dinner or lobster or mini golf. I remember eating salt water taffy until I was sick. Measuring my height at the Smuggler to see what flavor I was at for the year.
The things I know about these memories, is that when I think of them I feel all the love in the world for my parents and the childhood that they gave me. As a child, you don’t realize that you are having the time of your life while you are experiencing these moments. That you are making memories that will last a lifetime. These are the times that I wish I could live over and over again.
Someone once said that when you get to a good place in your life, you come full circle. It’s almost like you feel like a child again. And that is so true. Mayflower Beach will always be my special place. It's where my favorite memories of my childhood can be told.
I can’t wait to have children to make new memories with. To give them summers that will last an eternity, back at the beach where I grew into who I am. Where I could build my whole universe with my imagination and just a castle in the sand.
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