Southern Legitimacy Statement: In the cold eastern part of Europe just south of Finland, in a small cold orphanage in Russia, there was my mom. A small girl tucked in the corner of St. Petersburg. Eventually she came to America; Hawaii. Struggling with the change and the language, and eventually adding a kid to the mix, she needed help. The small, yet large feeling community on the island; a place southwest of the mainland, gives her the help she had desperately been needing. It really does take a village to help raise a high maintenance baby. To me, the word south means community, something ever so prevalent in my life.
Change in the Tides
Stepping off the plane, the heat of the familiar place punched me. A rude awakening that I was now back; home.Summer reached Hawaii the same day I did, though it’s always there, a constant sheen of sweat making your clothes stick to your skin. A gentle reminder that it’s always sunny, it’s always summer.
The day I returned home was the day that I changed as a person. Coming home was like growing up. I changed and my homeland changed. My dad hurried us through the airport, rushing us to the baggage claim. I then saw my grandparents for the first time in years.
“GRANDMA!” I shouted running up to the small frail woman who was standing next to a man as tall as a redwood tree in California, my grandpa. She wraps her arms around me and kisses my forehead; a feeling that I’ve missed it since I left years ago. I can hear the rest of my family chattering around me and the loud beeping of the airport intercom. It felt good to be on familiar soil once again.
“Alright, kid, we have to get going. We have things to do,” My uncle Sasha ruffled my hair. I let go of my grandma and looked at him, and he looked the same. Sometimes people don’t change. His hair is still a curly, unkempt mess, and his wired frames rest on the high bridge of his nose.
“What is it?” I ask. The flight was long and grueling and I had no energy to do much at all.
“Gosha and I are going to meet someone. You know Bethany Hamiliton, right?” I did. I loved her. I’ve had her story memorized since I could recite words. A professional surfer who had lost her arm to a shark and despite the odds against her, she pushed forward. Despite the changes and challenges she face; she caught the wave and rode it. She was my inspiration. I stood there in shock; there was no way I was meeting her.
“CAN I GO?!” I scream in the middle of the airport. My parents are quick to hush me and my uncle’s laugh.
“Of course you can,” Uncle Gosha puts a hand on my shoulder, “You’re more than welcome.” I jump up and down excitedly. I was meeting my idol, someone who I’ve looked up to; who I wanted to be. I hurriedly told my parents my plan as if they weren’t listening to the whole exchange, they were.
My father double checks with my grandparents to make sure they can handle one more person.
Next thing I know, I’m parting with my parents. I should have asked where the others were going, but I didn’t; I could only think about meeting Bethany.
My whole body was practically vibrating on the way there.
“Are you excited?” My uncle Sasha asked me.
I nod enthusiastically, “OF COURSE!” I squeal, “I love her!” A flurry of feelings buzz through my nervous system. It’s like surfing, the feeling of waiting for the right moment, to paddle, push, stand, and coast. The anticipation of meeting someone who’s had an impact on my life is like lurking in the water on my board, waiting for the right wave.
I watch as the green land passes. The closer we get to the mall, the more antsy I become. Maybe it’s purely nerves, or maybe it was the fact that the tides, raging waves crashing the mind of the kid that dares to swim.
As we made it through the treacherous line, I saw her, in all her glory.
“Hi! How are you?” Bethany asks, a smile plastered on her face.
Giving her a toothy smile, “I’m good, how are you?” I handed her a small poster to sign.
“I’m doing great! Do you have any questions?”
“How did you deal with not having an arm? It must have been taxing.”
She nodded, “Yeah it really was! It was definitely a learning experience, but eventually, I got used to it. That’s the beauty in growing and changing. It crashes against you but you can take that opportunity to ride the wave.”
Such a simple metaphor can have a complex impact on my life. I left that small meet and greet with a strong sense of security, like the tight grip I held on my surfboard.
