Last year, NYEBoy and I took A to the beach for her first time (and my second time!). We had such a wonderful time. We've been back a few times since. We even took my brother when he was visiting us a few weeks ago.
I can't explain to you the feeling of sand between your toes for the first time. Or the smell of saltwater in the air. Or hearing and seeing the waves crash along the sand. Or watching the birds flying around you, taking dips in the water for their food. Or seeing dolphins, in their natural habitat.
I can't explain the feeling of seeing your niece see this for the first time. Or your sister getting to see the ocean for the second time. Or sitting in a beach chair beside your spouse wondering what it's going to be like to bring your children down here, too. I wonder if we'll ever get that moment.
It's been seventy days since the Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf Coast. Seventy days with tens of thousands of barrels of oil spewing out from the Earth into this body of water that means so much to me, my family, and countless others. It's not just our memories, but many people's livelihoods. I heard on the news that a gentleman took his own life last week because of this. I broke my heart.
On top of the human aspect of this disaster, we're also dealing with the environmental damages. Our beaches and wetlands, and animals are being ruined and killed because of this. It breaks my heart to know oil is still being blasted into this precious body of water.
If you've been to the Gulf Coast before, please join me and over 100 other bloggers in sharing your stories about this beautiful water.
If you aren't able to help with the clean up, but still want to help, please feel free to make a donation to EarthShare, Network For Good, or Oxfam.
Seabird Sanctuary also helps rescue wildlife from the oil. You can either make a donation or adopt an animal.
To read views from other bloggers you can check out the Love The Gulf post over at Deb On The Rocks. We love the Gulf, how about you?
2 comments:
Thank you. I spent 5 years in the Fort Walton Beach area and it just breaks my heart to see what is happening.
Thanks so much for posting about the oil spill. I live on the ALABAMA gulf coast and this oil spill has been a nightmare for weeks now. I own a gulf front condo in Gulf Shores and our beach has been okay until last week...on Thursday we got hit hard and it hasn't stop yet! The man that died last week is someone we know...his twin brother is a friend of my husbands...please keep his family (the Kruse family) in your prayers and also please pray of all of us here on the gulf coast...thank you.
Blessings,
Linda
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