When I read other blogs that have fabulous photos of mountains or prairies or horses or beautiful children I lament the fact that I live in a plain old place without majestic landscapes and my anonymity which allows me to share my children's stories but keeps my photographs limited to the backs of their heads.
Last week my flight home from Detroit was delayed by a couple of hours. (Theoretically due to weather but more likely due to Obama's fundraising visit to NYC.) Just before we finally boarded I overheard the family beside me mention that they were headed from Michigan to Kenya.
I've been to Kenya and I loved it. I loved everything about Africa and I would love to go back frequently. I also can't help talking to strangers so I begged the daughter (approximately 8yo) to smuggle me in her suitcase. We spoke for a bit and then boarded the plane and - wouldn't you know it - I was sitting beside the mother and daughter.
The mother had 24 more travel hours in store so I spoke to the daughter (she's the same age as my oldest son) and told her how much I loved Africa and how much fun she was going to have and how she really had to let go of her fixation on TIME if she was going to enjoy a place where time was more a concept than anything concrete.
At one point during our discussions I asked her "How many oceans have you swum in?"
"None." she answered.
I paused. "None?" I asked. "None," her mom told me. And it turns out that on their trip to Kenya, they will not be on the coast so the answer will still be none.
For what it's worth, this answer is INCONCEIVABLE to me.
When I was 24 I moved from Boston to San Diego. The only requirement I had was that it was on the ocean. And when I went to Kenya I took a side trip out to the coast so that I could swim in the Indian Ocean.
The more the realization hit me that people don't spend their entire summers at the beach like I did growing up, the more I realized that there were photos I could share with you.
I took this photo a couple of weeks ago for a photo contest. The theme was "Singular" and the focus was supposed to be on something simple.
I hope you like it.
Ahhh...love it!
Posted by: Debbie S. | June 29, 2011 at 01:05 PM
Kids who don't know how to swim or have been to the ocean are starting to become something of an epidemic. Even in my own town ... city.. whatever where we live 30 min to the coast, and swimming pools are abundant 2 out of 3 kids don't know how to freaking swim... or well enough to be taken to beautiful coastlines like the one in your picture.
So sad.
Posted by: Tipsy Reader | June 29, 2011 at 01:07 PM
We DO like it, thank you! ;-)
Posted by: Gurukarm (@karma_musings) | June 29, 2011 at 01:13 PM
ahem. I must defend Michigan because we have our fair share of kids who have had the pleasure of spending their summers at the beach, it just happens that the beach is fresh water and possibly incredibly rocky (east, Lake Huron) of sandy (west, Lake Michigan) and our Oceans are Great Lakes, rivers, or small lakes behind our houses. I might sure why I felt the need to clarify that, but summer (especially) in Mich really is a special time.
Posted by: kate | June 29, 2011 at 01:30 PM
I love the picture and I, too, can't imagine not ever being to the beach on the coast. I spent many summers at the Jersey Shore (minus the House music thankyouverymuch.)
I can't imagine living anywhere that I can't get to the coast in an hour or two. There is just something about that salt air mixed with suntan lotion that carries you away.
Posted by: RecklessSarcasm | June 29, 2011 at 06:42 PM
Summered on the Oregon Coast. Pacific that far north of SD is freezing, but I swam till I couldn't feel my fingers or toes. During the winter, we drive down to the coast from PDX for the storms. Met a girl who grew up in Seaside and married her. Don't call me Ishmael, but the sea's in my blood. Loved your post.
Posted by: Steve Fineagn | June 29, 2011 at 07:43 PM
That is a beautiful picture. I grew up going to the lake every summer all summer so it blows my mind when I hear that someone has never been tubing or to the lake. I've only been to the beach once.
Posted by: Ashley | June 29, 2011 at 09:40 PM
Love that picture.. very calming...
Posted by: Jaimie | June 30, 2011 at 04:32 AM
Beautiful picture. I hope you win.
I can't imagine having never seen the ocean, it's where I go to calm and center myself.
Posted by: carol anne | June 30, 2011 at 07:03 AM
I've only been in the two oceans that border the US, though I've been in several seas.
And while I've never been anywhere in Africa, I truly want to head there. One of my best friends from college was a Pakistani national who grew up in Kenya . . . the stories she'd tell . . . I think I'd love to take the country in.
Posted by: John | June 30, 2011 at 08:13 AM