Thalassophobia

The sight was a oceanic splendor. As we came over the hill we could see the ocean waves down below. The waves were unlike anything I had ever witnessed before. They were colassal in size, their sound was deafening. The sand were we stood was white and as soft as powder. I began to feel excitement swell within me. As a child I started to squeal with delight and encouraged my own children to explore and take advantage of this beautiful opportunity to be enveloped in another of God's creations.

I placed Rylie down in the sand and observed her awestruck expression. She stood hypnotized. Suddenly the idea formed in my head, the perfect picture, a child gazing out at the granduer of the ocean. I carefully placed her and took a few steps back to formulate the perfect picture. In the meantime the other children were playing tag with the ocean waves. As Harvey began taking pictures of Rylie, I could see it off in the distance.

Realizing I had seen this wave before I was assured Rylie would be safe as she continued her hypnotic sight see. However, the distance wave suddenly turned into a Herculean tide. Shocked by the enormity of it I began to feel uneasy. Soon that wave not only proved its strength in size but its speed was gaining triumph as the kids continued their game of tag. I began to see things in slow motion.

First, Carson's leisurely run failed him and he was taken down by the sea. Savannah was starting to gain victory but as she saw Carson's defeat she turned around to save him and soon the aquatic beast took her down as well, covering them both. Madison had claimed her victory and stood on safe ground anxiously awaiting the results of the scene that lay before her. At the acknowledgement of this waves power; Harvey heard my desperate cry and raced to save Rylie from her inescapable peril. As the water overtook Rylie it seemed as if it was bowling and she was the pin. It knocked her down and swept her up further towards the beach. Head over feet she came tumbling towards Harvey and I as we raced towards her. Harvey being the faster between the two of us, grabbed her just as she the water was about to take her to join it's oceanic world. Tossing her to me, he then went to save Carson and Savannah.

This was our introduction to the ocean's power and unrelenting spirit. Showing no mercy for the child gazing at its wonder or the child playing a carefree game of tag with it's tides. What did we learn from this tale? Never trust the unrestricted ocean and mom really does move in slow motion as the child's doomed fate is moving at warped speed.

(I look angry, but that look you see is pure guilt. I am having the thoughts of why wasn't I faster? Why did I leave her to gaze alone? Why didn't I grab her as soon as I saw that wave?Etc...)

(We took Rylie to the ocean several times during our stay to help her overcome her fear of it. But this was the result every time. The look on her face says it all, she never took her eyes of the ocean, never trusting it. And she cried the entire time we were there. Poor baby!)