Outward Bound, Homeward Bound

by

Patti Dickinson

As some of you know, Margaret, our going-into-eighth grade daughter, went on an Outward Bound. Sailing in Boston Harbor, with nine girls for ten days. Nothing plush about this adventure. I am told that it was "peeing over the side of the boat". No mascara, no razor, and no conditioner. Bare-bones-ing it. This kid can now use the sailing lingo and is looking forward to sailing with her dad in Chatham. Not as a passenger, but as one reckless Olive Oyl. She got off the plane last night, sun-sprinkled face, more freckles than she left with, and enviable blond highlights. We stopped on the way back from the airport, where she devoured a double hamburger plain, large fries and an M & M McFlurry. All without coming up for air. Some serious chewing with food in her mouth as she recounted her ten days away.

She came back happy, healthy, confident. She showed us the sea glass that she found, some heart-shaped rocks and an amazing piece of driftwood. All things, that while she was away, connected her to us.....because we have been collecting those things for years. Our dining room table has an old, distressed bread board, that is full of heart-shaped rocks from our travels. Nice to know that those things "stick". That that tradition had a continuity even when the rest of the Dickinson's weren't around.