My what a week its been. Just eight days ago, HHH and I watched as the seagulls played in the ocean breezes. Tourists were enjoying their time fishing on a lonely little pier on the edge of paradise. Visiting with our favorite peeps, we never imagined that on the high desert plains we call home, things were changing forever. Sometimes, it’s a blessing not to know.
Let’s start with the pier.
Just one week prior to our vacation, storms ravaged the Central Coast. Having precious friends and relatives living in the area, I follow their local news. It’d been reported that the pier suffered some “minor damage”. Just a few little problems that could be fixed over time. After closing the pier for a few hours, it was opened once again. The pier is the gathering place of the little town shown above. In 2013, the 150 year old structure received major repairs that cost about $3.5 million.
This pier is covered with memorial plaques bearing the names of people from my home town. One of the most interesting benches belongs to “Norman Liddell”. I must have met “Norman” many times during my toddler years. He served on the school board with my father and remained a lifelong friends. His wife, “Iola (eye’-ola)”, taught Auntie TJ in grade school. With his name affixed to the bench, I always felt I could sit and rest awhile. Norman and Iola would make sure things were safe.
The pier holds memories for many. One year, I sat and watched as very young “Life Guard” trainees did their first jump off the pier. Opening a gate, one by one the littles (10-11 year-olds) would hold their breath and jump 20 feet to the ocean below. One after the other, they faced the rite of passage through which they needed to jump.
For one little boy, the task was just too much. He cried on the long walk to the end of the pier while true friends on either side urged him on. With amazing courage, he faced his fear and jumped. We all held our collective breath, waiting for the small head to come to the surface. Sure enough, he came up waving! Victorious!! With confident strokes, he swam all the way back to the beach in record time.
Young lovers hold hand while walking on the pier. New parents carefully stroll their babies while they sleep, nestled in expensive buggies. Tourists converse in the languages of the world. Everyone understands one thing. This is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
HHH and I enjoyed our time on the pier as we watched for marine wildlife and surfers trying to catch the perfect waves. We love our pier as much as everyone else. It does feel it belongs to us when we’re there.
That is why yesterday’s news was a bit devastating.
We stood for more than a few minutes on several occasions on the very end of that pier. Quite a few pilings washed away. In the eye of the storm and in the blink of an eye, the main part of a little coastal town is now closed indefinitely.
At the very time we were enjoying our Valentine’s Day Tradition, things at home were going south.
A good friend lost his battle to cancer. A very young senior citizen, he leaves a family legacy of streets named after his family. He also leaves heartbroken sons, family, and friends. We’ll soon celebrate his life with HHH’s old friends. People known to him since childhood. It will be such a large gathering, we’ll again meet in the firehouse. And, so, in the blink of an eye, our town has changed.
You might remember a very sweet friend of mine owns our town’s flower shop. She’s well into her second year as the shop owner and doing quite well. One problem she faces on holidays is the need for dependable delivery people. Valentine’s Day is one of her biggest days of the year, and she’s always looking for help.
My dearest Harvest Sisters are always up for a challenge. We band together to help those in need and our florist was really in need. If in town, HHH and I would’ve helped, too. On only their second run, the car must’ve smelled of the lovely bouquets in the back. The Angel of the Aluminum Cloud held the directions, while our Faithful Leader drove. Turning off the highway as they had a thousand times before, they were hit by a young boy of 16 who pulled out from a stop sign into them.
He hit their little car squarely on the driver’s side with his huge truck. Airbags went off, burning the young mans forearms and saving the life of our Fearless Leader. Although no one went to the hospital that day, they’re all visiting doctor’s now. The verdict is out on damages other than the obvious. One very totaled little car. Two very experienced drivers left shaken. One unexperienced driver left traumatized. Lives changed in the blink of an eye.
Whatever you do today, take time to look both ways when driving. When walking out on a pier, do a little research to find out when it might have last been checked for faulty pilings. Hug your loved ones. For, in the blink of an eye, everything can change. After that, nothing will ever be quite the same.
More tomorrow.
