Those beautiful waves...SPI, I will miss you.

     Our month at the Island is almost over. We have two more nights to enjoy all SPI has to give. The sun is setting right now and the sky is pinker than pink. We spent a couple of hours this afternoon at Clayton's Beach Bar...it is right on the Gulf and it is very nice. We sat in the open air area and enjoyed some boiled shrimp and fries. When we were done, I walked over to the railing area and stood there for at least 10 minutes, looking at those waves. Growing up, my daddy would bring us girls down to the Island for the day and we would play in the sand, getting just as dirty as humanly possible two little girls could get. Our swimsuits would fill with sand and it was so funny to us then. Daddy always brought his fishing pole to throw out in the surf. Back in the very early years, we loved to play on the Boca Chica side. Daddy would start a fire and we would watch as he sliced potatoes and onions into a big cast iron skillet, stirring them around till they were mushy and greasy. To this day, the smell of "Boca Chica Potatoes"cooking brings back some wonderful memories. I still cook potatoes and onions that way...we don't have them often but when we do, they are never as good as they were on the beach, with some sand in them, I imagine.
     As a little girl, my daddy would let us ride on his back as he waded into the great big waves. I always felt so safe with him. He was so tall and strong and he always made it to the second sand bar, where we would hop off and sit in the water for hours, riding the waves. He always brought the big tractor inner tube so we could all hang on and dodge those big waves. My cousins, Jay and Anton, would come down every summer and they would get to go with us to the beach. I know their memories of my daddy are very special. When my daddy died, Jay and Anton were just as sad as we were. My daddy, their Uncle Jim, was a real hero to a lot of people, I have found out over the past three years.
     So today, when I looked out over those Gulf waves, I shed a tear thinking that I would probably never see the Island again. If we do come home to visit, we will not take time to come to the Island. This move to Alaska has become very reflective for me. Today I remembered how it felt to be a little girl riding on my strong daddy's back, and wishing that I could ride in those waves with him, one more time.
     Once again, I am blessed...