Living the Dream

I always dreamed of spending my summers at the beach.  I would always feel a touch of envy towards those classmates that were fortunate to have a home at the beach as the school year came to a close.  They would leave the city the day after school ended and come back on Labor Day. 

I don’t know where my love for the beach came from.  While we live less than an hour from the RI coast which is littered with gorgeous beaches, my parents really didn’t take me there very often at all.  Maybe the books I read during the summer fed my desire to be at the beach, in particular a mystery series about five pre-teen friends who met up at the beach every summer.  I read every one of their adventures, desperately wishing to be a part of them. 

Ultimately, my dream to spend summers at the beach never materialized.  In my early 40’s, I never got to the beach at all.  My sons had sensory issues related to their autism and didn’t like the sand.  In addition, my youngest son Michael was extremely difficult to handle in the early years and it was nearly impossible to take both kids out alone.  And, my husband hates the beach. 

Last year I had the opportunity to rent a house in Narragansett and I took it.  My husband was not happy about my decision, but I really didn’t care.  My sons and I were here for a month while my husband stayed in the city.  My daughter came down for a couple of weeks too and several of my closest friends have homes at the beach.  We went to the beach everyday with old friends and made new friends.  My sons thrived.  They bonded with a two boys that also come to the beach for a month from Connecticut and the four of them boogie boarded together every day.   Time just flew.  When my husband saw how much the boys enjoyed the beach and how it positively affected their behavior, he agreed that we should do it again next year.

Boogie Boarding All Alone

So here we are, at the beach again for the month, although, a week is already behind us.  The boys from Connecticut are coming down in a couple of days.  This last week of June has been nice and the beaches are not too crowded yet.  Next week, the first week in July is when things really get hectic here.  I actually like the quiet. 

Fishing Boat Coming In ~ In Point Judith

It’s funny how my perspective changes here.  It feels like another world, the stresses are left behind.  We don’t really DO too much.  Beach, home, dinner, bed.  When my husband finally came down last year at the end of our month, he was shocked to hear that we had never gone out at night.  This year we’ll try and change that! 

The Dock at Night ~ in Galilee

I love the smell of the ocean, watching the seagulls fly, listening to the waves crash onto the shore.  To me this is heaven.  And even as I approach 50, I still feel that twinge of envy for those that are fortunate to have property here in Narragansett, and I pray that someday soon, I will too.