I remember the first beach I ever saw. My mother was born in Rincon, Georgia.
We visited my grandmother there when I was small. On the way home after one visit, my mother reminded my father that a new bridge had just opened up to an island.
She suggested we check it out. We crossed that new bridge and were the only ones on what appeared to me to be an endless sliver of land surrounded by endless water.
The water stretched out as far as I could see. I was a little frightened. But my mother took my hand and led me to the edge of the water.
She told me to wait for the incoming littlest wave. I did. Suddenly she sang out in glee and hopped right over it!
Laughing, she said, “Now you try it!” And so I did. We waded out farther and farther, jumping higher and higher. The memory of our jumping the waves still brings me joy.
Later in life, when I was suffering through various challenges, my mother reminded me of the life lessons from the beach.
What you are facing may look large and scary, but face it anyway.
You will find that some things are not nearly as big as you thought they were. You can jump right over them.
In order to conquer some things you will have to jump higher and put more effort into it.
And sometimes, the waves will knock you down. When they do, get back up and get ready for the next ones.
And always see life as a series of adventures. Take the road less traveled. Cross the new bridge. Live, laugh, find the joy and keep the memories!
That once near deserted island is quite different today. It is called Hilton Head Island!
