After a restful evening with my sister and nephew, we loaded up the car Sunday morning and headed down to Nags Head. I loved driving through my old stomping grounds.

The bambinos, however, were not terribly interested in my old stomping grounds and fell asleep soon after we pulled out of the driveway. My sister and I snacked and chatted, passing the time until…

WATER! And not just any water, but The James River.  I grew up around this river. Hiking in the woods near Mariner’s Museum, feeding the ducks at the river’s edge, watching the sunset over Isle of Wight across the water. I was even baptized in this very river.

As we drove onto the bridge, I looked back and saw the shipyards where my father-in-law worked. And way off in the distance, very faint, I could see the James River Bridge.  (The bridges out here in the midwest might be 400 ft across. The James River Bridge is about 4 and half miles across. )

It wan’t long before my moment of nostalgia was interrupted by the harsh realities of Hampton Roads traffic.

At least it gave me a good 10 minutes to gaze out at the water.  And since the car was no longer humming along in motion, the kiddos woke up.

But they loved seeing the tunnel. Especially my land-locked little guy.  A potty break and a mocha later, we came upon this

Aaaahhhhh. One more bridge to cross…

…for this.

The ocean. salty air. smudged glasses from the constant ocean spray. sand in your hair, shoes, clothes, teeth,  suitcases. fresh seafood! the smell of sunblock. bob marley.  that undulating roaring sound of the waves mounting up then crashing on the shore.  flying kites. the dunes. the scrappy patches of wildflowers and sea oats. the gulls screeching overhead. children laughing. lovers holding hands and walking along the shore…

What is it about the sea-side that so satisfyingly nourishes the soul? Will my land-lubber children have the same love affair with the sea that mu husband and I have?

At least one of them needs to live near the sea, so the rest of us can visit him.

Often.