His toes are washed over by cold clear water and his feet sink further into the sand, I watch him with all the wonder and awe that a child gifts to parent. As he watches a small insignificant piece of seaweed float and twist past him he turns and smiles. His greatest gift today as it is everyday is discovery. To him everything is new and amazing.

 

Last year at the beach it wasn’t so. The young man would only dare enter the water in the safe arms of Mum or Dad. Only if he was cradled snug, but still he didn’t want to be there. The cold water shocked and scared him. I’d ponder as his tears fell to the water, is this how the sea became salty? One year later those same tears are still part of our ocean and are still drifting somewhere. They must have travelled so far, as has he, but in a different way.

 

He turns and runs from a small wave. He’s running not with fear, but a game of chase with the water itself. In the shallow water he will jump over the waves as if they’re reaching up in a game of tag, he wins this one but there’ll be many more.

 

As he jumps the waves I can’t help but envy him. I too once jumped the waves and played chase until the sun went down. I too discovered something new around every corner and under every stone. I’m still discovering, these days I’m discovering through my children’s eyes. I’m content to sit on the sand and absorb their joy and laughter. I smile at them as they play, they see me and smile back and continue with their games.

 

These games go on and my thoughts continue. As my mind soaks in the simple beauty of my surrounds it occurs to me that that they could be equally as jealous of me, why? I hope one day they get the chance to see a childhood again through their own children’s eyes.