I'm excited right now because my daughters are playing in the beautiful Gulf of Mexico this week! Although I moved away from the Pensacola area 20 years ago, I've never forgotten those golden days we spent on Santa Rosa Island during the 70s, 80s and 90s. Those memories became bedtime stories for my children.
Today, as I listened to them describe the sights and sounds of Pensacola Beach, it was obvious to me that much has changed since I left. Whether the changes happened in the wake of yet another hurricane or due to progress, I can't help feeling a sense of loss and the need to connect the (good things) from the past with my family's present and future.
What follows is a plan of sorts for tying sailor's knots in the broken ends of our family history rope to ensure continuity. When the girls return, I will:
- Encourage them to talk about their trip and share their perceptions of the people and places they've visited.
- Compare their pictures of the island today with my decades-old photographs and look for something familiar to all of us.
- I may even ask them to tell me a bedtime story...
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