We are in the Akron, Ohio area and in the middle of winter as is to be expected. We have had some snow and melting and more snow. We have had melting and freezing and on average, it seems temperatures have been in the teens.
Monday, I helped a friend move a couple things to his new home. With all the melting then freezing temperatures, the apron of his driveway was frozen and he had to use some extra effort to get his pickup truck up the drive. Once we put the items in the house, I grabbed the bucket of salt and walked to the apron to salt it for future entries. I got to the apron, reached into the bucket and dragged the cup through the salt, preparing to spread salt on the apron.
The next thing I knew, I was on my back with my friend talking to me. The salt bucket was three feet away and the cup was another foot away. My glasses were about three feet in the opposite direction and my hat was about a foot away. The last thing I remember was dragging the cup through the salt.
I guess I slipped on the ice, took a huge backward leap and landed nearly on the top of my head. I say that because the blood, scrape and bump were near the top, not on the back as you might expect. My friend told me I had been unconscious and my present lack of coordinated movement and thought bore out his observation. I needed to stop at the church to print something off the computer. We stopped and I started the computer. I sat there looking at the screen having no idea of what I was doing nor how to do it. Somehow, I got it done and he took me home.
I called my wife and she came home, I was still a bit out of it. My friend, who is a medical professional, pretty much insisted I go to the hospital. I was not in a mental state in which I could offer a very good argument. We went and I got checked out along with a CT Scan. I was told, on a scale of 1-4, I had a level 2 concussion. I decided to take Tuesday off and rest the old noggin. My wife, ever so thoughtful, decided to get the flu so she could stay home and keep me company.
Why do I share this? Let me continue.
Today, I dropped my wife at work because of the ice and rain headed our way. Doing that would save my bride, recovering from the flu, from having to scrape her windshield. After that, I went to Walmart to get a couple things and had a Subway breakfast sub, which was pretty good. As I walked Walmart, actually every time I walk Walmart, I flash back to the Walmart I went to almost daily when we lived on Hilton Head Island. I loved that Walmart. My soul soared as I watched all the tourists rushing to the cash register with arms full of floats, sun screen, beach towels and odds and ends. I loved listening to the excited conversation anticipating the upcoming week at the beach.
My trips to the store also took me to the bike section to browse the new beach bikes. I would look at swim trunks, sunscreen, T-shirts with cool beach sayings on them. I would check out the plants and flowers (there were always some in bloom). I would bask in the sun as I left while admiring the oaks with hanging Spanish Moss and the pines.
Today, after my breakfast sub, while I walked the Walmart here in town, it hit me. I used to walk the Walmart down south shopping for cool T-sirts, sun screen, bike parts and beach supplies. Now I walk the Walmart here in town shopping windshield scrappers, salt for the driveway, snow shovels, and warmer socks. This is so not me!
I miss the place that fit me perfectly. I miss it all winter long. I even miss it all summer long because I miss those happy excited faces and families on another yearly adventure. I am pretty sure if I had been on the island on Monday, I may have gotten some sand stuck to me but I probably would not have gotten a concussion. Need I say more?
My daughter edits my blogs so there is not a chance she will not read this. When I talk of my passion for the island, the beach and the sea, (yes dear, the sea) my daughter gets a little annoyed with me. She lived just off the island for a year and did not come away with the same passion I have. She doesn't understand why I can't feel passionate about where we live now. Can you spell "concussion," honey?
What she cannot possibly understand is that since I was about 12, I wanted to live near the beach. First, it was the Los Angeles area, and by the way, I loved it. We had the kids and moved back so they would have a big family. The point of saying that is I have always loved and wanted to be near the beach and the sea. Here's the good and bad news, I probably always will.
Finally, here is my point:
My daughter finds it impossible to understand why I feel how I feel about the beach. She has not walked in my shoes, lived as I have lived, nor does she, have the same interests, genes and make up. For that matter, my friends, mother, and wife don't really get my passion either. Here's a funny thing, the friend I was with when I cracked my head gets the sea and beach just as I do. Monday, we easily agreed, if I had been at the beach, this would never had happened. We often sit around and whine about how we miss the beach, it's just what we beach people do when we are stuck inland.
When we find ourselves in situations we cannot relate to, especially with those we love, maybe we can think about the fact that it might be okay to not understand. Maybe we can consider allowing them their passions, as long as they are not damaging. Such things can easily become points of contention as my love of the beach and sea is for pretty much everyone around me. Sometimes when out window shopping with my wife... (I don't know why we go window shopping, our windows are fine. Ha.) At times, I run across a cashier or person working in the store who shares my passion and it is wonderful! Someone who gets me! My wife will roll her eyes and dread the next 20 minutes but I am in heaven!
It troubles me deeply to have moved away from Hilton Head. In the past, I have given up other things that meant a great deal to me. I let my Harley go, our dream home, a 340 HP Hemi truck - now that was fun- bright yellow too! I am okay with having moved on without those things. I just have let go of this one great big passion and it is not so easy to give up on it. I still hope and dream that one day.... I better stop there before I get a phone call!
I am sure most of us have lost things dear to us. I am sure some of us have had to let go of some really big dreams. I am equally sure that some of us have not been able to give up on some of those dreams. I am equally sure, some of us have people around us who don't get it or may even get a bit testy with us.
We all have different views, dreams, loves, and passions. The problem is when we can't recognize and enjoy each others dreams and passions. Maybe this falls under the agree to disagree category or maybe we can somehow encourage those we love to continue to enjoy and experience their dreams and passions. Wouldn't that be an amazing act of love? Maybe even not getting angry with them would also be an amazing act of love.
Here is the low down: Please don't get mad at me about the sea and the beach, I CAN'T HELP IT!!!
Please don't get mad at your hubby, wife, son, daughter, or friend, maybe they can't help it either. Do you know that saying, "Sharing is caring?" Maybe by sharing in the dreams of those we love, or at least trying to understand them, we can show them how much we really care. Take it from me, it is really hard to be a heat and sun lover while living in the land of people who love to shovel snow and love the pretty white flakes as they fall from the sky. Oh blah, blah.
Hmmm. Maybe I have to try to understand their passion and embrace it with them. (Even if I think they may be a bit goofy.)