Port A Outside My Window

It's been 12 years since I've seen you last. Through these adult eyes, you haven't changed in the places that matter.

My childhood memories ring strong in your presence, creating a resonance between who I once was and who I have now become without you.

Those summers spent on your shores, gulping down the salty gulf air with my toes buried under your blanket of sand were some of the very best. From racing against the tide, to riding the waves, to exploring the local sights, sounds and smells, it was all an experience that could never be tarnished. Light surrounds those memories like a halo, polished with a nostalgic shine.

Even the inhabitants of your embrace brought light to that past: kind people who welcomed me with open arms and blinding smiles, who kindled my curiosity and passion for the wild, untamed nature of the gulf.

These moments were carried with me like a badge of honor upon my chest, emblazoned with wind and tide - a love for the shore that emboldened my studies into nature, and eventually into my studies of storytelling.

It's a comforting feeling to know that the girl who ran laughing at your side, her hair tangled by wind and sticky salt, would be proud of the woman she is today.

It is this day that I sit at a window, looking out at the changed landscape, feeling these emotions as we exchange memories like wine: bitter to the taste but warm as it goes down.

I could shed a tear for those 12 years lost, but I have no sadness to give those tears life. Every memory with you has been cherished, preserved. For me, nothing has changed.

My home away from home, the city of Port Aransas.

______________________

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Port Aransas holds a very special place in my heart, as it truly was like a second home growing up. Being there last month brought a lot of memories to the surface.

In my flash fiction class, the professor encouraged us to free write a little every day to help us feel productive when the words wouldn't come for other projects. One of those days I happened to be at a hotel in Port A, and a version of these words spilled out onto the page.

I hope to share more of these personal free writes with you all, and I encourage you to try it for yourself! <3

Much love,

Amanda