While you continue to sip your truck stop cocoa, allow me to refer to an earlier blog. I recall some off handed comment about Maui. Yes, indeed, we are taking a trip to the Valley Isle. Ever been? Let me say this, when you hear people talk about the cliche of Hawaii being paradise - grab their shoulders with both hands, look them straight in the eye and say, in a low, reverent voice, "Brandon said to do this if you talk about Hawaii being a paradise." Then, if they are still your friend, let them talk on. It's true. Possibly to the point of testimony. Life feels light there. Now, I have been once. Maybe some of you out there have been many times, maybe some of you live there. But for a boy from Draper, Utah, who always knew he was supposed to be a surfer, born on the beach somewhere, or maybe in a surf shack, this is Heaven.
Growing up, I always thought I was born in the wrong decade, in the wrong place. should have been born in the 50s, maybe an LA suburb. I remember spending summers at Super Slider's water park at the point of the mountain. Listening to The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, The Ventures. I would brown as fast as a buttermilk pancake, hair parted way to the side, toe white and I was wearing my shorts that were tagged with this:
Remember those clothes? Maybe you don't. They were a hot item. I always knew Hawaii was the place to be. Dreamed of being on the beach while I was instead laying on the hot cement on top of my Superman towel, getting warm and dry in the Utah sun. Now, some 20 years later I dream of being on the beach once again. To feel the warm breeze, salt and sun, tasting the sea water as it gives you that nasal cleansing that only sea water can give. This time, though, I will hear the sweet sound of my children laughing as they are inducted into the paradise witness protection plan. They will never be the same. 2 weeks from today. And as I look outside at the foot of snow on the ground, I am coming to a sad realization. I now brown as fast as buttermilk sitting in the fridge, my shorts are now tagged with this:
But I still listen to The Beach Boys. And you know what? The reality will be even better than the dream, how often does that happen? Only in paradise.
4 comments:
Thank you for The Smiths Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want. I went right to itunes. I can't believe that we didn't have it yet. RIDICULOUS!
-Jen
Suddenly my life feels so incomplete. Better add "Hawaii" to my to-do list.
We knew you were destined to a taste of paradise even when you were that little brown pancake tanning on the Draper concrete. So excited to be there with you and the kiddos CAN"T WAIT!!
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