“Early
memory of the beach”
In 1990, at Orange Park, FL beach and I’m 3 years old, my sister just a year older. Karina and I are fighting in the car, she then screams, “ha-ha! Tasha’s a scary cat”, repeatedly. Pushing and shoving one another. My mom then breaks up our mini war of sister hood. In the back passenger seat I lower my head down, long dirty blonde hair covering my red tomato face, filled with tiny tear drops.
My dad, mom, Karina and I all as a family proceed out our green cucumber station wagon and onto the beach. It was summer and the water wasn’t clear glass but greenish/ brown, color changing as the sun penetrating and reflecting off growing things from deep down under the ocean. My eyes lit up with awe and out shown a smile. I look around at the crowded beach area. Other children run, covered in sand, hauling buckets, spades, shells, and piercing the air with their laughter. Young teenage girls lie in groups of three or four, tanned brown, wearing tiny bikinis. My mom found the perfect spot just a few feet away from another family and sets down all our towels on the white sand. Mom and I settle ourselves in as we watch my dad and Karina walking toward and into the ocean. My mom looks down at me and says, “Mi hija, why don’t you want to go into the water and join your dad and sister?” and I replied back, “What if the waves push me under?” She replies back,” you have your sister and dad right next to you to keep you safe”. My toes wiggling in the sand, I can hear the roars of waves as background music, and I wonder, should I go in or not? I pulled up the courage and walked over to the shore. I remember how cold the water felt when it hit my skin and the sound of shrieking gulls. I walked in meeting my dad and Karina, small waves hitting me, and taste of salty tang of water splash on my face. My dad lifts Karina and me onto the long flat float, pushing us around, and we’re giggling together. Fifteen minutes of fun and my dad decides to head back to the shore to give my mom some company. He leaves my sister in charge of me. We’re splashing one another and jumping around. I look around and see surfers with bright red and yellow boards catching waves. My sister and I must have moved beyond the kid safe zone because I took one step back and a huge wave caught me, salt water covered me from above as I attempted to point my tippy toes and jump. I was under for about 3 long minutes fearing for my life. Bravely sister, Karina swam towards me, reaches her hand and pulled me out from under the water. If it couldn’t get worse, as we rushed back to the shore, a jelly fish chooses me as his prey. Gelatinous umbrella – shaped bell of a beast, trailing, embracing around my leg, stings with his tentacles. As we made the finish line to the shore, in pain I stare down at my calf, a red sting spot, feeling itchy and burning sensation like a bee sting. I look at my sister asking her, “Karina, how do I take this ouchy off my leg?” She replies, “I saw this on the animal planet show, just pee on your leg”. I doubted her response at first but gave in and did it anyways, the pain slowly went away. We raced each other back to our dad and mom. It was getting late and we all decided to head back home.
We're all dripping wet, towels on car seats and I look out the window and watch as the sun sets radiating its last rays of the day, it’s a sight that joys memories, some nice and others nicer. As children, we fought a lot, as all siblings do. My thoughts were that she didn’t love me. She would always complain to my mom and dad that she didn’t want me as her sister, that she hates me. They say, “Actions speak louder than words.” That day at the beach she could have chosen to let me drown but she saved me because deep down, no matter what, she loves her little sister.
In 1990, at Orange Park, FL beach and I’m 3 years old, my sister just a year older. Karina and I are fighting in the car, she then screams, “ha-ha! Tasha’s a scary cat”, repeatedly. Pushing and shoving one another. My mom then breaks up our mini war of sister hood. In the back passenger seat I lower my head down, long dirty blonde hair covering my red tomato face, filled with tiny tear drops.
My dad, mom, Karina and I all as a family proceed out our green cucumber station wagon and onto the beach. It was summer and the water wasn’t clear glass but greenish/ brown, color changing as the sun penetrating and reflecting off growing things from deep down under the ocean. My eyes lit up with awe and out shown a smile. I look around at the crowded beach area. Other children run, covered in sand, hauling buckets, spades, shells, and piercing the air with their laughter. Young teenage girls lie in groups of three or four, tanned brown, wearing tiny bikinis. My mom found the perfect spot just a few feet away from another family and sets down all our towels on the white sand. Mom and I settle ourselves in as we watch my dad and Karina walking toward and into the ocean. My mom looks down at me and says, “Mi hija, why don’t you want to go into the water and join your dad and sister?” and I replied back, “What if the waves push me under?” She replies back,” you have your sister and dad right next to you to keep you safe”. My toes wiggling in the sand, I can hear the roars of waves as background music, and I wonder, should I go in or not? I pulled up the courage and walked over to the shore. I remember how cold the water felt when it hit my skin and the sound of shrieking gulls. I walked in meeting my dad and Karina, small waves hitting me, and taste of salty tang of water splash on my face. My dad lifts Karina and me onto the long flat float, pushing us around, and we’re giggling together. Fifteen minutes of fun and my dad decides to head back to the shore to give my mom some company. He leaves my sister in charge of me. We’re splashing one another and jumping around. I look around and see surfers with bright red and yellow boards catching waves. My sister and I must have moved beyond the kid safe zone because I took one step back and a huge wave caught me, salt water covered me from above as I attempted to point my tippy toes and jump. I was under for about 3 long minutes fearing for my life. Bravely sister, Karina swam towards me, reaches her hand and pulled me out from under the water. If it couldn’t get worse, as we rushed back to the shore, a jelly fish chooses me as his prey. Gelatinous umbrella – shaped bell of a beast, trailing, embracing around my leg, stings with his tentacles. As we made the finish line to the shore, in pain I stare down at my calf, a red sting spot, feeling itchy and burning sensation like a bee sting. I look at my sister asking her, “Karina, how do I take this ouchy off my leg?” She replies, “I saw this on the animal planet show, just pee on your leg”. I doubted her response at first but gave in and did it anyways, the pain slowly went away. We raced each other back to our dad and mom. It was getting late and we all decided to head back home.
We're all dripping wet, towels on car seats and I look out the window and watch as the sun sets radiating its last rays of the day, it’s a sight that joys memories, some nice and others nicer. As children, we fought a lot, as all siblings do. My thoughts were that she didn’t love me. She would always complain to my mom and dad that she didn’t want me as her sister, that she hates me. They say, “Actions speak louder than words.” That day at the beach she could have chosen to let me drown but she saved me because deep down, no matter what, she loves her little sister.