A trip 'home'

I was born and raised on an island. I loved it prior to the age of 12, at which point it felt very isolated and I longed for a life in a (any) city of which I knew little about. My parents often reminded me that someday I would realize how lucky I was to grow up there. I now (finally) realize what a beautiful spot it is, and why my parents chose to live there. It's a vacation destination for many with incredible natural beauty all around, and definitely has a slower pace of life and the opportunity to run into people you know all over town. It's a great place to raise a family. There were and still are drawbacks to the island--but whenever I visit (which isn't often) I am filled with nostalgia (and a better appreciation for the city). Unfortunately, so much of the quaintness of the town has changed in the last decade with the invasion of of Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Starbucks and Applebee's.

We recently drove by the home I grew up in, and it looks very different too--different color, less well-kept, beautiful gardens and lawn are no more. As I looked at the house memories flooded back: of playing horse in the driveway with my siblings, of learning to ride my bike in the front lawn using the fir tree as my safe place to land, of slip and sliding during endless summers. The house is symbolic of a different and wonderful era, but evidence that plenty of time has past.

A couple weekends ago, we took the boys up for a weekend at my Dad and Pam's, along with the deep-dish blackberry pie that was promised at Christmas. We visited one of my favorite beaches in the world. It is covered in perfectly smooth rocks; it's the only beach I've visited where 'clean' rock burials are possible.

It also provides a beautiful setting for a picnic and amazing views.