The Beach is Mine Again

The beach is mine again. Sand-throwing little kiddies gone to school. Texting teenagers gone to school. Three cheers for school – Hip Hip Hooray! It’s me and the seagulls now. Peaceful. Soothing. Restorative. My summer’s not over – not by a long shot. As long as the sun and the surf show up, I will too. To write. To pray. To be. To be alone.

Maybe this next phase of my life has possibilities after all. I really do not miss school shopping for four sons: clothes, shoes, backpacks, outrageously expensive required calculators. This year I went all-out when I saw notebooks for a quarter. I bought 20. And a few days before college began I bought each of my sons a pen – one pen. That’s it – notebooks and a pen. I think at their ages they are perfectly capable of purchasing the rest. Funny how when parents don’t foot the bill the child suddenly gets along with much less.

I remember when I drove my first car years ago; my parents bought the gas. They gave me a credit card. At about that time self-serve gas stations began popping up. Why on earth would I consider leaving the comfort of my car to pump my own gas? So it was a few pennies less, who cared? Me, that’s who, when the credit card went away. I hauled my cookies out of the car every time! I still do.

It’s a parent/child dance. Was then ~ ever will be.

My children and I “dance” together less frequently these days, but that’s all a part of the game, right? Love ‘em. Teach ‘em. Give ‘em space. Let ‘em grow. Love ‘em. Always love ‘em.

Even the seagulls are more content without hoards of people taking over their turf. Every creature needs space to live as God intended. Moms are no different. Find some space. Take some time for yourself. You’ve survived summer. You deserve it.

~ Maureen :)