The beloved picture

While this picture (posted here) started off as being fun & cute, it turns out that the meaning is so much deeper. Because I’m a natural lover of the ocean, it was a no-brainer when my

New Smyrna Beach

daughter asked if I could take her and her friend to the beach on the next upcoming weekend we were together.

This particular morning that we had planned to go, a mild cold front had just passed through leaving the forecast to be very breezy and chilly. The mission for the trip was for her and her friend to have a little photo shoot showing best friends having fun in the sun. I tried to talk her out of going all the way to the beach by suggesting a few local areas to go to for the day instead (i.e. the springs, our pool, Wekiva Island). But still they insisted that we hit the beach. So, the day progressed and just as I previously mentioned to them, the temperature WAS chilly, the winds WERE breezy and the sand WAS blowing all over everything. The girls got some picture taking in, a tiny bit of sunbathing and then were ready to leave. So, I basically was along for the ride = well, to drive, take pictures, get them set up & broken down, and try to get some sun in between my ups & downs off the beach chair as they voiced their various requests.

In between the series of snapshots, I too got a posed picture (the 1 featured in this entry) with Rach doing something silly. At first it just seemed like a cute photo op but then it turned into a cherished memory.

This picture is very precious to me now. I had this incredible opportunity to spend the day with my teenage daughter that sometimes really doesn’t wanna hang out with me at all. I got to hang out with her and her friend as they chatted about the inner look into their personal lives. I got to breathe in the salt area and ground my feet into the sand. I got to feel the closeness of a loving mother-daughter bond. I got to see life’s innocence through a 13-year old’s eyes. I got to taste test strawberry banana daiquiris (virgin of course) and eat a spoonful of mustard. How lucky am I?!

Now, I will practice presence every time I look at this as I remind myself how blessed I am and to remember to stay in the moment every.single.second.

All my love always Rach,
Mom