The other day, I was reminded of a years-past time when I was younger and my children were little bitty people. What reminded me? This picture –
In those times-past years, my longest-time best friend and I
managed to have children that were months apart. We lived close, shared good and sad
times. And every year we would, several
times throughout the summer, take ourselves and children to the beach where we’d
spend a week.
My parents had a beach house on the west-end of Galveston and,
it was available to us to use pretty much any time.
We all went to the beach in early morning and late afternoon. We played, relaxed, talked. We wore bathing suits all day and loose sundresses at night.
Everyone played at the beach, paddled in the water, made
drip castles,
wrote questionable poetry (remember – To the Third Sandbar We Must Go), read books, and got just a bit sunburned.
The other thing we did – we hunted for sharks’ teeth. Hunting for sharks’ teeth takes a special eye
and I’ve never been able to tell anyone what to look for – a certain shape, a
glint of sun, a wash of surf. Some of
them were tiny things and some were pretty good sized.
One day I happened to glanced behind us and all four
children were following along. Hands
clasped behind backs, looking intently at the sand and shell fragments.
They each learned to find those special treasures.
Over the years I’ve found many, given away many.
So, the first picture?
Well, that’s the size shark tooth every hunter longs to find!
I haven’t found that one yet, but I keep looking!
14 Oct 2021
Oh and by the way . . . . .
Halloween
is Coming!
Cool story! Wouldn't it be wonderful to find a huge shark's tooth like that! Just so long as it wasn't still attached to a shark.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking whale tooth. Close.
ReplyDeleteI've never found a shark tooth, but I never was actively looking for them. It would be fun to find one. Your memories sound so lovely and you describe those past summer days in a way that I can easily imagine how that was. Having a beach house that you could use is wonderful and I think your children also have very fond memories.
ReplyDeleteLazy days with kids were wonderful. We can only hope they caught the spirit well and kept it up.
ReplyDeleteI used to find shark teeth when I lived in Oahu Hawaii, I was 9 years old at the time. My grandfather taught me what to look for but he put it into poetry. I wish I cold remember the poem. It had a lot of Hawaiian words to it. I wish I could remember it. But if you recited it while looking you were sure to fine them.
ReplyDeleteWow! All those shark teeth! Envious.
ReplyDeleteThe beach is the best place.
I love going to the coast in Texas. If it wasn't for the greats I'd buy a small rv and park that fucker at beach and never leave.....except for them pesky hurricanes.
ReplyDelete