My father and the sea……
I cannot separate my love for my father
from my love for the sea.
They meet and merge like the tides.
Each year, when we were young,
despite his longing to vacation in new places,
to satisfy his thirst to explore,
he would carve out a week to gather by the sea
with my mother, my sister and me,
and lean into the rhythm of the wind and the waves
that smoothed back the furrows of his busy forehead
and I’d watch his eyes go soft
to the soothing of surf and sound.
They relaxed, those deep brown eyes,
because there was room enough,
and space and calm and time enough
to hear the light
and see girls in the sand,
even ones that were hard to see.
That great wide sky
and vast rolling water
un-pinched and turned my father’s face
and sometimes his eyes would find mine
and stay awhile.
I lived for those moments
when the sea and he would look at me.
I wonder at the power of fatherlove
and breathe grateful thanks
for love that looks and sees and smiles
and believe that my father’s love will find me always
as sure
as the shore
meets the sea.
“Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light,
you’ve known the hollow sound of your own steps in flight,
you’ve had to hide sometimes, but now you’re alright,
and it’s good to see your smiling face tonight.”
– Jackson Browne
A post as powerful as the sea.
As beautiful as the sea.
As soothing as the sea.
A lovely thing to hold to my ear (and heart) this morning. Thank you.
To hold to your ear……swoon:) Gosh, I love that:)
Thanks for sharing your beauty over here, Sue:)
-Jennifer
This is a beautiful tribute to your father on Father’s Day.
Just beautiful
Smiles & hugs, Jennifer.
Julia
Thank you Julia:)
Smiles and hugs to you just exactly where and how you are,
Jennifer
It’s a special thing, these memories we have of good dads and brown eyes and beaches … thanks for sharing yours in your sweet, loving way.
Gosh I love your words:)
Thanks for sharing them here, my generous friend:)
-Jennifer
I loved this, Jennifer. My father also arranged a week at the beach every summer for us while I was young, and it was such a special time. My memories of those times will never fade and instilled in me a deep love of the ocean — even though I did not delight in body surfing the way he did!
I feel every word of this, Emily. Such a powerful place for love to dance.
Thanks for sharing your memory:)
Oh, and body surfing is still one of my favorite things. I mean, seriously,
i could spend all day:) (Dad was back on shore within an hour but I was deeply
wrinkled by the time I crawled out, exhausted, and flopped down on beach to rest:))
– Jennifer
Oh my this brought back childhood memories of my dad and going to the Jersey shore often with my dad who loved to body surf and play in the sand with us….we were born and raised in Philly so the Shore was in our blood with the salt water….I miss it!
The ocean evokes such powerful memory and emotion, doesn’t it.
Those times together there so impactful. Thanks for sharing your memory.
Pretty powerful inheritance, that:)
-Jennifer
This brought tears to my eyes and memories of my own father, who passed away recently. Wonderfully written!
Big tenderness to you in the remembering and missing of your Father, Sue.
And thanks for your encouragement,
Jennifer
This is simply beautiful and I so love the photo. I love the thought of a special place, special sounds and locales that evoke such memory.
Yours might just be the lake, right?
I remember reading those powerful memories of your family and Summers there.
Thanks for coming by and sharing your beautiful heart,
Jennifer
such a beautiful tribute…memories…they will be etched in our hearts forever…
Forever, indeed:)
Thanks, Robin, for your kindness and presence.
-Jennifer
Your words Jennifer touch my
Soul and Spirit. Where else but by
The seashore that these memories
Come alive 🌺
Something potent about the shoreline, isn’t there:)
Love to your spirit and soul – and thanks for encouraging mine:)
-Jennifer