We had the best time a few weeks ago: the weather had finally warmed up enough for a full on beach day, and the little bug could not have been more overjoyed. Our family loves the beach – on the weekends during the warmer months we make it a point to try to go at least one day during the weekend if not two. We come with snacks, a fancy umbrella-beach-tent-thing and setup shop for the day. We build sandcastles and sculpt sea turtles out of sand. We chase the waves as they rush in and out, screaming in joy when the cold, salty spray splashes onto our toes. The sun is bright, the ocean is cold, the sand is hot, and the air is salty. It is perfection. I always feel the most calm and connected at the beach.
On this particular trip Little C had brought her Supergirl mask from a recent birthday party and insisted on wearing it the entire time at the beach (and also demanded that she be referred to as Superhero C). It’s a good thing that we had our very own hero with us because we were about to save a life….the life of a lady bug that is. Playing in the sand, Little C noticed a lady bug crawling across the sand and ran to it’s rescue. The lady bug kept trying to fly but it could not, as we noticed that it had a clump of sand stuck under it’s wing, and the wing had become crumpled. With lots of patience and verrrry gentle fingers, we were able to remove the clump of sand and then Big C gently unfolded the lady bug’s wing. The bright red bug sat on Little C’s tiny fingers, opening and closing it’s wings, sunning itself. After about 10 minutes of repeated opening and closing while Little C marveled at it’s vibrant shell and black spots, the little lady bug took flight and flew away. We all cheered – a sense of success and teamwork left the three of us grinning and wondering where the lady bug was off to.
It’s simple stories like these that I am so grateful to be able to capture forever. Little C is obsessed with bugs right now (wanted to bring about 20 pill bugs into our house, and this morning asked if she could bring a ‘mosquito eater’ bug to school for show and tell, lol). She is so sweet and loving with all living things; she puts our Daisy cat to sleep and tucks blankets and pillows around her, she calls for the cats and rubs their heads and feeds them pieces of the turkey she is supposed to be having for lunch. She adores creatures big and small….something that reminds me so much of myself….and I am so glad that has this love for animals, for it is truly a gift. Animals have this ability to give us comfort and love when sometimes no one else can, and I am so excited that she will understand that and know that special kind of love.
Life is the best when it is kept simple: salty sandy beach days, bugs, kitties, and loved ones. The simple things are the ones that matter the most.