Waves kicked up by Hurricane Ike at Pensacola Beach Pier

Waves kicked up by Hurricane Ike at Pensacola Beach Pier

Waves kicked up by Hurricane Ike at Pensacola Beach Pier

Waves kicked up by Hurricane Ike at Pensacola Beach Pier


The first lesson we learned was just a week ago…
Never drive the van through deep saltwater :)

We applied this lesson just a day ago when we went out to the beach to watch yet another storm, Hurricane Ike, throw huge swells our way. The waves were bigger than Gustav and so was the storm surge. The waves were around 20 feet! And as you could tell from the photos, they were awesome! We watched them for a while and then walked the dogs and got back home with no incidence :)

The next lesson is one we all learn from when we are very young. Never take loved ones for granted.

While eating lunch Sharon and I began a conversation with an older gentlemen about the state of the world. And it got to other more pleasant topics, eventually about what I do for a living. And he too is an avid photographer, and his wife was an artist and he has so many of her works around the house. And he shared with us that she passed away 2 years ago. Sharon then said this to maybe comfort him “Well it must be nice to have so many nice things to remember her by” and he answered in a sad tone “Yeah, but I would much rather have her still around” :(

That statement hit me pretty hard. Sharon and I had been bickering a little earlier about stupid little stuff, we both have been dealing with a lot for a long time so it is natural to get snippy sometimes. But hearing that man say that about his wife, I realized again that none of the stupid petty stuff matters. I would not know what to do without her, I don’t know how I could go on, and I know she feels the same about me.

So if you are reading this, and I know you have heard this since you were a kid, but do not take your loved ones for granted, it is too late to let them know how you feel once they are gone. Sometimes if we all could just swallow our pride and let the little things run off us, we would have a happeier life for sure. Sometimes life gets in the way and we forget these things, but we are sometimes blessed with angels to tell us this lesson again. Just be open to them, they sometimes appear as old sweet men sitting next to you at lunch :)