Friday, May 24, 2013

The Seaside Angel

It is some years ago now, a summer of grief.
I swam daily in the gulf, my tears over the loss of a deep love, mingling with the waves.
I know I was swimming out too far, way over my head.
I could not touch the bottom of the sea, or my sadness. I knew I was in danger, but I did not care.
I heard a distant call from the beach, someone calling my daughter's name "Amanda."
It was this name and perhaps the frantic note that alerted me, as my daughter was not with me that day, I swam alone.
Perhaps it was the nudge of an angel, that made me turn back to shore, look over my shoulder to see her.
A little girl, maybe 5 years old...well over her head too, gasping and struggling as her Mother shouted from the shore.
I see her little head disappear under the waves and a shock goes through me.
I swim, already winded, though this matters not to me now.
I grab her arm. She surfaces, her little face drawing breath in a gasp.
I drag her to the shore, where her Mother, hip deep in the surf, snatches her from me, weeping, and angry.
I am spent now, but so is a part of my grief.
This brush with danger, this covering of angel wings has saved me from drowning too.
This Seaside Angel is a memory of that time and for someone who is recovering from a grief.
May she protect you, or just remind you to protect yourself!.
She is 12 inches tall, and is not pleased with your recklessness.
and this is actually a true story.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/152091549/the-seaside-angel

5 comments:

Dorthe said...

Oh sweetest heart, what a beautiful story, from your heart and soul- I am alwayes totally drawn into your wonderful stories, and your way of making it all happen, in front of my inside eyes! Such a gift to share with me (us) -thankyou Robin-
I love your angel of the sea- her strong way she looks at me, and her calmness!
And you know ,I love you,too!
Your Dorthe

Createology said...

Oh I am so relieved to hear the angels saved you and the child on that horrible day at the shore. I know all too well how it feels to drown and be saved. This Angel is precious. You have created a treasure...

Unknown said...

Utterly moving and beautifully told! Everyone should have a Seaside Angel to guide them safely to shore- be it the sand or stable footing on concrete city streets. LOVE!

Janice said...

What a heart-felt touching true story...I had chills all over reading it. Well written and recalled. What a beautiful angel then and now! ~ Janice xo

halohill.blogspot.com said...

oh my goodness! Angels,(my favorite). Our near drowning. (Me too... sailboat accident with my brother and children. They had taken their life jackets off just for a second so they could "pee" over the edge of the boat. That's when it happened... capsized. Their little ball caps floating above their heads saved them. He reached down to grab them and pulled them atop the capsized boat. I can't swim and my ankle was lodged on the underside of the boat, I was submerged. My brother appeared, couldn't shake me free, so he shoved me further into the cabin where there was still some air for me to take a breath. He went up for air and came back to me. By that time we both had hypothermia, but with super-human strength, he pulled me out and pushed me up for air. A couple living in a cabin on the shore saw the accident, got in their boat and came out to save us. They put us all aboard their boat and took us to their home where they dried us off, put our clothes in the drier, gave us hot drinks and called relatives to come for us. That was 28 years ago, and as fresh as yesterday. Every Christmas to this day, I write them and thank them for saving our lives. Very grateful. This has been on my mind the past few weeks, haunting. Thanks for showing us your angel, which soothed me to see, and brought things to "the surface for air." Blessings to you.

Sheila in Oregon