Sunday, August 5, 2007

Changing and Not-So-Changing Things







Although I know that change is really the only constant thing in our lives, it occurred to me as I watched my girls at the beach yesterday, that some things do indeed never change. They both have always loved all things associated with water. Like her mother before her, Gabby is on swim team and dive team, and she truly seems more at home near and in the water than anywhere else. Both Molly and Gabby swam before they walked--always underwater, with eyes wide open, and big smiles on their faces!

Gabby has always been fascinated by the creatures of the sea, and is able to discuss at length the habits of whales, dolphins, and shellfish galore! She is always coming up with one interesting fact or another about life in the Deep. (How much do you all know about the "Moon Snail"? Gabby will definitely fill you in on anything you would like to know about their rather vicious habits!) Yesterday she learned to ride the waves on a wave rider and on a boogie board. Her enthusiasm and determination to master both was a delight to watch. And isn't it great that just digging in the sand still holds such appeal for children and adults alike?

So I'm thinking this morning about changing things and not-so-changing things: Little blond girls in the water; little blond girls building sand castles; little blond girls riding waves on boards, rafts, tubes, and water skis; and even though little blond girls may be grow up and no longer be blond, they still embrace that magical love of all things associated with water. And, of course, one other thing that never changes--Molly on the phone! Could we really have survived a life without the ever-present cell phone? But truly, sitting on this beautiful South Carolina beach I felt more than ever that the past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We really are made up of layers.


2 comments:

Rachel said...

So beautifully said, isn't it funny how much changes and still stay the same. Gabby is amazing! I hope she gets to take advantage of being so close to the Pacific Ocean. Now she will have swam on both coasts. Not bad for a little girl.
The photos are fun, we wish we were there :)

Kay Barberio said...

Can't believe how Gabby how grown and how big she is!! How old is she now?? I remember her at our old house on Monte Verde, and shopping on St. Armands Circle with her. Times change! Looks like everyone is having a great time! Enjoy!!