Monday, July 24, 2017

Bucket List Item #40: Brighton Pier

Standing over the water, wind in my hair, smells of the sea and sugared donuts flooding my senses, I closed my eyes and smiled as big as the sun.  Memories of laughter of my cousins and I echoed in my mind.  This week, we went to Brighton for a day trip, and it easily became one of my favorite places in England.  That day, we also went to Portsmouth, so we didn’t have a lot of time in Brighton, but it was enough to fill my bucket with the feelings I feel when I go to the beach, which is one of my favorite family traditions.
This week we talked about A Christmas Carol and how it has impacted our Christmas traditions.  I hadn’t really thought about A Christmas Carol having that much of an impact, but I realized it has indeed stuck throughout time.  There are many film adaptions of A Christmas Carol, which I watch one of at least every year, and various play adaptions as well.  Why is this particular Christmas story one we have retold and cherished through the generations? I think that the ideas and themes in A Christmas Carol are ones that we all need to remember each year, and this story presents that in a way that we all can relate to in one way or another. Scrooge is a character that we look at like the bad guy, but how many of can relate to him?  Don’t we all want money? Don’t we all put other priorities ahead of spending time with people sometimes?  It can be easy get caught up with things of the world and think more about ourselves than we do others.  Personally, I think that A Christmas Carol is a part of my Christmas tradition because it reminds me what really is Christmas about, the importance of spending time with our loved ones, and that we can change.  It is a gentle yet powerful reminder of the most important things that bring us joy in our lives, like that of family and service. 
One tradition that I’ve had in my family as long as I can remember is going to San Diego to visit my mom’s side of the family who all live there.  For that reason, the beach has always had a special place in my heart.  When we arrived in Brighton, I was immediately reminded of the area where my family lives in, and as we approached the pier and I saw the ocean, I was brought back to our many excursions to Coronado beach.  Standing on Brighton Pier, smelling that sweet ocean air, seeing the waves crash against the shore, is something that I cherish.  At the beach, I am reminded of the simple things in life that bring me joy, and the especially the joy that comes with being a part of a family.  Being in Brighton, this time being with friends I have come to know so much in such a short time, was a beautiful and renewing experience, just like reading A Christmas Carol

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