Spring Breakers, give them a break!
This week begins an annual ritual shared by students all over the United States. Elementary students looking forward to staying up late and sleeping in late. The high schoolers eager to hang out with their friends and make memories. And college students heading somewhere new for epic adventures that you just might see on YouTube.
For those of us living in a beach town, these weeks signify the beginning of the tourist season, which sometimes gives us cause grimace. But let’s remember what we experienced the very first time we visited Ocean Shores.
Driving on the beach for the first time, not sure if your wheels are going to get stuck in the sand, distracted by the beauty of the ocean and wondering if the seagulls are going to get out of the way. I remember.
Stopping the car to get out and run for the waves. Rolling up your pants to go in the water even though it’s only 52 degrees out. You might have done that.
Standing in the middle of the “road” on the beach to get that perfect family photo because it’s the first time the kids have been to the beach. Remember the smiles?
Driving way to slow through town with your blinker on trying to find Sharky’s because it’s the coolest spot in Ocean Shores besides the beach for snap chat pic.
Oh, the pedal surreys. How much harder it was to pedal than you thought it would be? There’s no way everyone was peddling. You must be the only one. And the steering! Oh, the laughs.
What about the first time you saw the deer crossing the road and you stopped so that you could take pictures forgetting there were cars behind you? It is kind of amazing how tame they are. Some people have never seen a deer up close. We’re just kind of used to it.
How about the Ocean Shores IGA parking lot around dinner time when everybody realizes they’re hungry and comes off the beach? Don’t get me started.
Remember all the amazing things we get to enjoy year-around and be a little patient with those visitors.
When they rent those surreys, mopeds or yellow pedal bikes, they’re helping to support your friends and neighbors. When they walk around town eating the ice cream cones, they’re helping a family pay for track shoes for a Hyak student. When they’re running all over the beach flying kites, they’re helping make sure a local family can afford after school care. And when the IGA is so busy they run out of toilet paper on a Saturday it’s helping to make it possible that they can contribute to all the local youth groups, scholarships and organizations that they support in Ocean Shores.
So, during the next few weeks when you see the tourists, give them a smile when they’re in your way taking a family photo, give them a wave when they pedal too slow in their surrey. And give him a break.
