ok, so these are pictures we took on visits to Oswald LAST summer:
And I must say that I rocked the not-quite 4 week postpartum body swimsuit! Alas, we did not bring our camera so there will be no proof of that. (dangit!) (sigh of relief)
I entered the waves with a great flood of emotions. The last time we came to Oswald was toward the end of July during the great heat wave of 2009. You do remember this tormented pregnant woman blog entry, right? We sought refuge from the heat one of those days by driving to Oswald and I played in the frigid waves, with much pregnant woman relief and delight. (no photos there either, shucks!) I remembered poking Elsa and happily feeling her move. I remember talking to her about this place and the waves and the smell of the ocean and her brothers playing in the shallows. These memories flooded back to me as I felt the light and airy presence of Elsa.
Boogie boarding just happens to be one of my most favoritist outdoor past times. I don't care how cold the water is! And on this particular day, the tide was way in and the waves were large and powerful...that makes for some fun rides.
After I took my first couple of rides, I was out waiting for the perfect wave when a VERY LARGE wave was approaching me quickly, holding me fast in its undertow. I felt slight panic, as this wave seemed 3 times my height! For a moment, I thought this wave would engulf me and carry me out to sea. In the next moment I thought "better jump on the boogie board and see if I'll survive the ride." So I jumped on and this large wave took me up and propelled me very quickly up the beach, depositing me above the high tide mark. I was laughing with relief. Talk about the ride of your life!
(That's what we call a sneaker wave, an Oregonian one).
On the drive home, I thought about how that wave is like my trial; my grief. I have two choices in the matter:
1) I can allow this wave to wash over me, engulf me and drag me out to the ocean's depths
or
2) I can jump on and ride this wave, allowing it to propel me to where I need to be
RESPECT the wave
The Great Wave off Kanagawa is a famous woodblock printing by the Japanese artist Hokusai
4 comments:
Being on top of a sneaker wave is the place to be (compared to under it). :-) i love that wave print...the "Wave of Peace" is cool too. Glad you had a fun ride!
Wow Kate, I love that analogy. And way to go looking so good so quickly. That could never be me. Glad you have had smooth recovery and healing.
Thanks for these last couple of posts. Can I just thank you and tell you how awesome you are for TALKING about all the stuff you're dealing with? For not being afraid to share the day to day details of grieving? Truly, it's inspiring.
Thank YOU for letting me talk about it. It helps, it really does. I do NOT want to forget Elsa.