Last week we received a package in the mail from a guest
that is joined by her family each year for Christmas vacation and who stay at
our beach house Change of Pace. When
we opened the package we found a beautiful book titled “Goodbye Beach House”
composed of memories and photos they had collected from over the years. We were
so touched by the collection of memories they shared with us- we wanted to
share them with you.
Let’s begin with their story. The Collier family started traveling at Christmas in 1988 because it was the only time during the year they were all available to come together. In 1997 they discovered
Change of Pace had the perfect ingredients for priceless
memories and family traditions.
Each family member arrived on Christmas Day in time for
dinner and opening presents. The grandchildren would wake up the next morning
to run out and play in the sand and build their club house under the deck. The
first year, they found a wooden board and they all signed their names on it.
One of the first traditions was born. Each year they took the board home to return
with it the following Christmas to add another year. One year Cam
wasn't there so they took the picture with him on face time not to break the tradition.
They have memories of the bright art work through out the
house and the big palm tree in the corner they decorated with white lights that
become their Christmas tree. The huge kitchen their meals were prepared in was
done so with love, unity and devotion. The yummiest items prepared there were
of course the candy houses the children made each year.
They have memories of the big blue couch they all shared as
Gram read “The Polar Express” each year only to shed a tear at the end. The
bedrooms became a place to share secrets and adventures turning cousins into
sisters and then into best friends.
They have memories of the big wooden deck where they
devoured their new books and the tradition of watching the Blue Angels practice
during Christmas week each year.
They have memories of planting sea oats, collecting
seashells, watching sunrises, and toasting sunsets. The beach served as a playing
court for many volleyball games and Ben digging his annual hole each year.
Memories of swimming, boogie boarding and flying the best kites on the beach.
They have memories of celebrating Gram’s & Poppy’s
anniversary with a luau to celebrating the Cardinal’s World Series win in 2011,
while each family member wore Cardinal red and ate ball park food all day.
Because of changing schedules and life directions it is harder and harder for all the family to come together each year. So the Collier family will be trading the beach house for a smaller place.
As Judy (otherwise known as Gram) so elegantly put it “change
is inevitable and in parting we leave behind footprints on the sands of time.”
