It’s summer breaking in here in Australia, and in between the thunderstorms, and sudden drenching downpours, there is magnificent sunshine that draws us to the seaside or as we say in Queensland, to “the coast“. In this case it was the Gold Coast, and no, we were not digging for gold. I have no idea why it’s called the Gold Coast, the string of coastal settlements with awesome beaches now all roiled into one stupendous green and gold city. In a contrary fashion, the colour of the Gold Coast is really blue, of all shades from a velvety navy blue, to turquoise, sky blue and the soft grey blue.
Inside Looking Out can be stifling
I’m sharing these photos of water and sky, and the one personal picture, of hubby and me, taken by our six year old granddaughter. I’ve been unwilling to write anything for some time, and this picture made me think it was because I was inside my own mind looking out as the world, trying to draw you, the reader into my imagination and to create for you the things that I see and experience, and quite frankly, I had tired of it.
And then this day at the beach, doing nothing but what a six year old wants to do.
Paddle in shallow waters, float on a boogie board, watch fishes, and then magically watch dolphins leaping down the board water towards the open seas – I could feel the anxieties unravelling and literally washing away, and the at the end of the day, a walk to the headland, and giving in to the pleading to let her take photos. I thought she wanted to take photos of crashing waves, skittering seagulls and boats chugging down the canal, and surfers scrambling up the soaked rocks by the side of the embankment, but no, the phone camera was pointed in our direction. Ah the eyes of love, as we posed and smiled for her, as if we were the rich and famous and she the infant paparazzi.
Outside Looking in
And this photo, made me aware of the outside looking at me, not me as writer looking out. And this was how a six year old who loves us sees us.
It is a precious time for grandparent and grandchild, and reminded us of how rare and wonderful this was, a multigenerational family swimming against the tide of loneliness and separation. Long after I’ve gone, this photo will remind a grown up lady of a day on the beach with her grandmother, who was busy being granny and not a writer.
What day or person has changed your perspective lately?
Did I rush home and pen my next bestseller?
No. But I wrote this blog to share with you.
That is enough.