This week Karen has invited us to take a cruise to the British Virgin Islands for WHAT PEGMAN SAW. As I’ve been in quite the reflective mood lately, I’m sharing a memory. Here in the frozen Midwest the skies have been dreary and the roads icy. A trip to a tropical island is just the ticket for this sleety Sunday morning.
St. Thomas © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Genre: Memoir
Word Count: 150
St. Thomas © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORIES
Lush hills and tree-studded mountains surround St. Thomas like an imperial crown. Is it any wonder my son and his bride fell in love with the area? They exchanged their vows there and invited their parents to share the honeymoon.
Later, my son told me they had planned to have the ceremony on a mountaintop so his mother wouldn’t be tempted to swim away. Who would do something so utterly rude on such a grand occasion?
However nothing compared to the thrill of snorkeling along the underwater nature trail in Magen’s Bay in St. Thomas or exploring Water Lemon Cay in St. John.
I feasted my gaze on purple fan coral, yellow tangs and crimson starfish. As water takes on the shape of its container, I took on the shape of the water in an indescribable oneness. Unfettered by the mundane, I embraced the sea and it welcomed me home.
“When we’re in the water, we’re not of this world.”
……Gertrude Ederle
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
This is just the thing for a sleety day, Rochelle. I could use an unlimited supply of fish-filled 70-degree seawater right about now. Be well worth the sunburn. Cheers!
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Dear Josh,
I’m right there with you. I keep telling my husband I need to go back to St. Thomas for a bottle of Aunt Hattie’s Ginger Sauce. He’s not listening. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Seventy degrees! Brrrr!😊
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This took me there! Thanks for the trip. I was right along with you, feeling and seeing all of it. I think you must have been a mermaid in a past life.
So great to see you this sleety weekend. I’ve missed you! Hope you have no reason to venture on the roads until it clears up. We’re expecting snow later. I have had it with this winter.
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Dear Karen,
I’ve missed doing this challenge, too. It seems I’ve seen myself coming and going these days and, between my novel in progress and herding the cats of Friday Fictioneers, I’m treading water just to keep my head up. 😉 The weatherman says we have more snow possibly moving in tonight. I think you guys get more snow than we do but we do get the ice…particularly in February.
If I had a past life, no doubt I was a mermaid. 😉 Happy to take you along to the island with me. Ahi, salt water and sunshine. What a combo.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love your description of taking on the shape of the water in an indescribable oneness. Beautifully nostalgic piece.
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Dear Mags,
Sometimes it’s hard to get across to people how the water truly affects me. I’m glad you caught it. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
The pleasure is all mine.
Shalom shalom,
Mags
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What a glorious last line! “Unfettered by the mundane, I embraced the sea and it welcomed me home.” I’ve often wondered why people enjoy swimming so much, and this piece of yours really gives me some clues. Great description!
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Dear Penny,
Nothing clears my head or ups my seratonin level like a good long swim. I’m glad this came across in my piece. Thank you so much for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A wonderful ride through the imagination prompted by your lovely writing. Finishing in a tropical paradise. 😊
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Dear John,
Thank you for your affirming comments. Happy to take you on the ride. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That is some honeymoon and speaks volumes about how good your relationship must be with your son and his wife, that they would share the experience with you.
I had a friend once, when I lived in frigid Minnesota as a child, whose parents took her to saint Thomas each winter. I remember being so jealous! And now look at me,with more heat that I Can handle, 80 degrees on a February day! Beware what you wish for!
Lovely potrayal of a lovely memory.
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Dear Andrea,
There were actually 4 couples. My DIL’s parents, her brother and SIL, the bride and groom of course and one other single person. We shared a chateau on St. John for a solid week. We had a great time. I wouldn’t mind ‘summering’ in St. Thomas. 😉
Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love the way you said your son was concerned his mother might be tempted to swim away 🙂
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Dear Christine,
My son knows his mom. He did say one of the reasons he wanted to have the wedding there was to introduce me to snorkeling. He knew I’d love it. He was right. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A great memory we will never forget. The crystal clear blue water, and you swimming out, and out, and out. Thought the sharks would get you. But I was there to protect…..in waist high water. Truly, you are a scaleless fish. Our son could not have picked a better venue. Love it.
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Dear Jan,
I still wanna go back for more ginger sauce. 😉 Swimming was great…Loved every minute of that! There was another reason we went, right? Oh yeah…Ahi. 😉
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Dear Rochelle,
So beautifully done, my friend. your love of the water shines through and like Penny, that last sentence is so delicious.
Shalom and Lotsa love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
Happy to take you along for the swim. Thank you fo much for your delicious comment. ❤
Shalom and hugs,
Rochelle
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I felt transported Rochelle- the place and the
Occasion sound transcendent. Thank you.
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Dear Francine,
I’m glad you came along for occasion. It was one of our most memorable vacations/occasions. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such a lovely piece, Rochelle! I felt the water, I felt the sun, I saw the crimson starfish in my mind. Lovely!
🙂
Na’ama (who is part fish, too).
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Na’ama Y’karah,
I actually have a photo of a crimson starfish! I just didn’t include it in this post. 😉 I’m glad you felt the water. We mermaids understand, don’t we? Thank you for reading and commenting. It means a lot.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Mermaids!!! 🙂
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What a lovely reminiscence, Rochelle. The ending is sublime. No ripples here. Things are so beautiful the deeper you go and the longer you reflect.
Peace by yours always.
Kelvin
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Dear Kelvin,
Your kind words warm me on this cold, drizzly day. Thank you so much.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A beautiful description of what I imagine an incredible trip, considering all the events involved. 🙂
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Dear Brenda,
The trip was my first time off the Continental US. I’ll never forget my first view of the clear water from the plane. Oh yeah, I seem to remember a wedding, too. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Like you, the water is my other home. I love that last line… it took me right back to the see, also.
I’ll be curious to see your response to my FF story… ahem, it’s interesting!
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Dear Dawn,
It’s hard for me to convey to a non-swimmer what being in the water does for me. Glad I’ve found in you someone who understands. 😀 . As for your FF story, I left my thoughts. Verrrrry Interesting. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I have always been a water baby… and frankly, can’t live too far from the ocean at this point. I miss the salt air, seeing the water move and change, and being able to get there easily to dip my fins. 😉
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