The Bay House

Ever since I was little, my family has gone on trips to the "Bay House".
Even now, I'm not exactly sure how to describe why it's so special to me. I mean, it's a building made mostly of concrete. Concrete block walls, concrete floors, otherwise impervious to dirty kid feet that are covered with a mixture of mud, sand, and bay water. In other words, it's a prefect place for children. No matter their age :)
My grandfather's parents built the house years and years ago and since then, it's been through several hurricanes.
There are three bedrooms with beds about as comfortable as sleeping on a piece of plywood, and a single bathroom that is often shared between more than a few too many people. I couldn't love it more.

All my life, I've found magic in different places. The bay house, the river bank behind my house, a clearing in the woods, an empty field. All of these places are special to me, and always have been.

In the summer of seventh grade, as I was finally breaking out of the lowest point in my life, I burned the pages from the diary that I had written so many ridiculous fears in. So many pointless, meaningless thoughts that had once had a hold on my life. I burned them in the fire pit at the bay house, gathered the ashes, and tossed them into the ocean at the end of the dock. I know that might sound stupid, but it was my way of letting go of everything that had prevented me from living a happy and healthy life for those past two years.

               The picture above was taken in 2007, it's my father and I standing by the sea wall.

Sometimes, at night, I like to go and sit on that sea wall and just listen to the waves slapping at the shore. One day, I hope to bring my kids to this place. I hope they love it as much as I always have.
When my brother and I were a lot younger, we used to pretend that we were Hansel and Gretel as we walked along the sandy road outside the house. Not sure why we picked those characters. They have got to be my least favorite fairy tale ever.
Here are some pictures from last summer :)

This is my personal favorite. The crab was pinching me. Raw emotion was captured in this picture folks. Raw emotion.

So what about all of you? Do you have a special place that you've always loved?

Peace, love, and catching crabs (ha),
       Sara