Beach and Friends…

“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever…” - Jacques Cousteau

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Dear Riddhie,

 

I remember telling you about my fascination for the seaside when I accounted for your first visit to a beach during the summer of 2011 (Read Here). We continued taking time out to go to the shore areas as much as we could over any weekend that we could in days that followed. The last few weeks saw us frequenting the Jersey shore a lot more considering that our time in the US was drawing to its end. Needless to say you enjoyed every bit of these outings.

We went out with your friend Ayah and your Diana aunty in the last week of May and then a week later with Shaurya, your Roopa aunty and Sachin uncle who were visiting us from India.

 

With Ayah – We had a few very special moments captured from this trip. One of my favorite of these is where you and I were walking on the beach and you hold onto my hand tightly because of the incoming waves and your feet losing their grip in the wave washed sand. Then of course, there was this picture of you sticking your tongue out to lick every bit of the Mango ice candy that I got for you. I guess, I still can’t have enough of these pictures.

 

With Shaurya – This turned out to be another special outing since you found Shaurya’s company totally binding and we as your parents were much more relaxed to just let you be. The weather on this day turned out to be beautiful and the boardwalk was surprisingly less crowded as well. I remember all of us just hitting the beach and then coming back to the car to change our wet clothes. My favorite moment from this day were you wrapped in an orange pool towel that we took with us and you quietly sitting down on the sand for a long long time. Only on a closer look, we noticed that the reason for your being all quiet was that you were actually sucking on a corner of the towel. Sharing a few pictures from the day…

I am sure there will be many more instances in future when you will find your way to sand and shores and many more beaches around the globe. Perhaps in a few years, you will make sure that we are not hanging around your head as you hit the sand with your friends and yes, we won’t be there to call the shots forever either but all the same I want you to know that a part of me will always be by your side holding your hand and walking with you just as I did when you were learning to walk.

I will close this letter with a quote I read somewhere - “Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone”

 

Love,

Dad.