Living Outside the Lines – ‘Sun, Sand & Childhood Innocence’

by, Becky Miller

Most of us have our “go to” spot, that place where we are completely relaxed and at peace. That place where we would stay and never leave. That place where we are carefree and innocent again, even if it is only for a short while. That place for me is any body of water be it river, lake, ocean or swimming pool.

When I say I have been able to swim almost as long as I have been able to walk, I am not exaggerating. Many of my childhood summers were spent splashing around in my grandparents in ground swimming pool. My sister and I were in the pool just as soon as our little eyes opened in the morning, and we stayed in the water until well after the sun went down.

The pool had a diving board in the deep end. My favorite thing to do was walk as fast as possible to the diving board, jump in, swim the length of the pool, climb out, and repeat the process again and again and again. There are permanent scars on my toes from scraping the pool walls while climbing out.

When we weren’t visiting my grandparents, our parents took us camping. Many of the campgrounds had their own swimming hole, usually a lake. My favorite camping spot had a floating dock with a high dive and water slide. During one trip I ended up with a bruised tailbone from hitting the water, bottom first, multiple times.

Then there was the summer at Lake Hartwell, Georgia that my father patiently taught me how to waterski. To this day, I am very proud of my water skiing skills. No, I can’t slalom ski or perform tricks, but I can get up, cross back and forth over the wake and stay up right until I decide to let go. Can you??

The ocean’s vastness tempts me to swim until I can touch the horizon. The summer my sister and I went snorkeling in Cozumel, we swam so far out that we could see the where our ship had docked. Several passengers thought us insane for allowing our exploring to take us such a great distance from shore. It was very natural for us though, just innocent fun.

Another summer we parked our camper on a pontoon like cruiser that allowed vacationers to literally stay on the river the duration of their stay. During the day, my sister and I jumped, swam, and tubed off the pontoon. At night, the gentle rolling motion of the water lulled us to sleep.

To this day, something about the water transports me back to the happiest times of my childhood. Whenever my husband and I are deciding where to get away, I almost always choose the beach, even during winter. I love walking in the wet sand, allowing the water to wash over my bare feet and drinking in the calm.

Recently my husband and I went to Corpus for the weekend. The day was overcast, the water was a bit chilly and quite rough, but I was content in my environment. We walked for eight miles, holding hands, laughing, chatting, and just relaxing.

Observing the children playing on the beach, that day brought the inspiration for this column. One little guy was experiencing the ocean for the first time; seeing the wonder on his face as the water rushed around his ankles was a sight to behold. He showed no fear, his daddy was right there holding his hand, reassuring him that all was well. And that is exactly how being around the water makes me feel.

Where is your happy place? Have you visited lately? No? Then perhaps it’s time to plan a trip.

Until Next Time,

Becky J Miller

“Warrior Princess”