Come to the beach!

Have you any idea what these words can mean to a young mother who has struggled through a long, cold, snowy winter with three small children? Well, they sound like a heavenly offer and that is what happened to me when I lived in Virginia and my mom and dad lived in Hawaii. Dad was assigned to Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii. They lived in Waianae right across the street from the beach. My husband and I were struggling with our marriage, and mom thought a short separation might be good for us both. She sent me tickets to visit, and I jumped at the chance. I imagine the flight was a challenge with three young ones, but that does not stick out in my memory; what does is the beautiful relaxing days we spent on the beach. The kids enjoyed the visit in their own ways. George, 5 years, hated water but loved digging in the sand. He would sit for hours digging sand and putting it in a bucket. He sat with his back to the ocean; and when a wave crashed, he would look over his shoulder to ensure it wasn’t anywhere near him. As I recall he didn’t really sit, but sort of crouched in a way he could continue his work but was prepared to run if it should become necessary. It was actually funny as he developed a lovely tan on his back, but his front was pure white having been shaded from the sun every day. Gordon, 4 years, was the opposite, he loved the water. My younger brother was a surfer, and Gordon would run to follow him out into the ocean. He had no fear, whatsoever. My mom and I spent most days keeping him from going right out to the middle of the ocean. Joy, 2 years, looked so precious, in her little Hawaiian bikini given to her by grandma, that she attracted photographers from all over the beach. There were soldiers on leave and tourists visiting and everyone ‘ooohed and aahhed’ over the little bathing beauty. She really didn’t know what to make of it. She didn’t care for the water or the sand and would just run around or stand around looking perplexed. I put a bonnet on her to protect her face from the sun, but she continuously pulled it off. I, of course, put suntan lotion on all of them so they wouldn’t burn. Sunblock was not known back then. Fortunately, no one got burned. Mom took us to Oahu, and we did some touristy things but most of our days were spent at the beach and I soaked up all the sunshine I could. Of course, by the time we returned to Virginia, it was midsummer and unpleasantly hot and humid as it gets back there. Our visit to Hawaii, however, was a pleasant, relaxing diversion for me; and I was able to return to my life refreshed and ready to cope with life’s challenges. Who would have thought those four words “come to the beach” could have such an impact?