Wayne Weekly: “Life Is A Beach”
Written by Teddy on July 28, 2015
Life is filled with reflections of childhood memories. Many of those memories are kept alive by adopting them into our own family traditions or pastimes.
Fair Haven Beach State Park, on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, is just one of those places that I have continued to experience throughout my adult life and transferred the fun and enjoyment to my children.
I recall as a child my family of seven cramming into the family car. We were surrounded at times with beach toys, towels, any picnic supplies that did not make it into the trunk, and the sound of Mom and Dad telling us to sit still and be on good behavior or we would be turning around. I don’t recall us ever changing direction and returning home, even when things got a bit rowdy as that can happen with siblings. Few cars came with air conditioning in those days, except crank windows and side wing vents, so our 25 mile trip on a hot summer day could become a real challenge.
I remember the seemingly long drive up the access road and to the ticket booths at the park entrance. Could this be like the “gate of heaven”? We were sitting tight but in our minds we were already on the beach or in the water. We anticipated jumping into those waves which we imagined were 30 feet high, digging holes in the sand and getting buried from the neck down only to emerge coated with sand. A jump in the lake would take care of that!
My family did not have a lot of excess money to take trips to vacation spots so trips to Fair Haven became to my brothers and sisters and me, a “great adventure” trip. We loved it and discussions on those special days still regularly crop up at family events.
Aren’t good memories a blessing? We tend to sift out the not so good memories, and that’s OK.
When we are someday in eternity, do you suppose we will remember those things that we hold so special now? Or will those things pale in light of our eternal state. All I can say is that if Heaven is better than Fair Haven family excursions, it will be a glorious place!
“…How awesome is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”…Jacob (Genesis 28:17)
