My dad used to jokingly say he was built to be a dairyman because straying too far from home for too long prompted some hard and fast stirrings of homesickness. Travel was automatically limited within the parameters of the time between morning and evening milkings and that suited him just fine.
I am afraid I inherited that personality trait, though, unfortunately I did not inherit the dairy cattle or the dairy farm. It would have suited me just fine.
As our local school took spring break the week prior to Easter, our daughter looked last second to see if any properties were available for rent on the beach we have enjoyed visiting all her life.
One beautiful home which had gone unreserved there marked its going rate to half-price. Caroline grabbed it and then invited us to tag along.
Leaving in a winter coat in the wee morning hours of April 12, it had been a challenge to know how to pack. Even though we obviously could easily see the weather report for the southern shore of North Carolina, it is oddly difficult to comprehend not needing sweatshirts for each day of our stay.
The quiet serenity of our favorite beach welcomed us. Once again, I found myself enjoying the beauty of the ocean through the excitement and daily experience of my young grandchildren.
“Hey, remember last year? This is exactly where we saw that tiny yellow crab!” my grandson, now 8, said.
Both Brooks and his little sister Landry have remarkable and vibrant memories from past years there. It warms my heart, and it is a gift like no other to see them fall in love with this special place.
We spent every minute we could exploring the bountiful gifts of Mother Nature on the beaches and quiet dunes. We watched a young man work hard to land a large stingray as it put up quite a fight. After we all snapped photos, he released it back into the ocean.
Landry, a little lady in every way at age 6, loved shopping at a seaside boutique with her mommy and me. We told her to choose something to keep that would be special, and it would be a gift from us.
She took her time and finally settled on a small, lilac-colored leather handbag, and we added a roll-on perfume and a mirrored compact to put in it.
“I will keep this forever,” she said with genuine joy and appreciation.
The day after our return, I asked both of them, “Isn’t it so great to be home?”
Brooks, without hesitation, said wistfully, “Yeah, but it’s also really hard to leave the beach.”
He will get no argument from me on that point.
