Congratulations !
You have been awarded points.
Thank you for !
- Story Listed as: Fiction For Teens
- Theme: Inspirational
- Subject: Faith / Hope
- Published: 04/08/2013
Shine Forever...A Sandy Story
Born 1961, F, from Waretown, NJ, United StatesClick-click-click-click-click-------CLUNK! The roller coaster climbs to the top of its first high hill then jerks to a stop! My heart is jumping with the fear and excitement of my very first roller coaster ride.
My name is Lisa and my family and I are spending the summer in a wonderful, fun-filled seashore town. We rented a nice little bungalow on a quiet street near the bay. A bungalow is a nice small house that covers most of this little town.
SWISSSSHHHH<WHIRRRRRRRR<RATTTTLE as the coaster makes its journey around the steel track. I smell the fresh carmel popcorn, I see the sparkling, colorful lights, and I hear the music from the other rides as other kids and families enjoy the sights and sounds of boardwalk in summer. We ate ice cream, pizza, and cotton candy. We rode on the carousel, log flume, and swings. My sister and I even got to play games in the arcade. I tried my luck at the cranes and successfully won a prize! I could not wait to see what it was. When I opened it I found a small replica of a lantern. My sister said, "Oh that is stupid! It is cheap and probably won't work!" I just knew this special prize would shine forever. It was late and we had to walk home along the boardwalk. We used my light to guide us back. Mom said, "Your light will shine forever!"
My family and I had so much fun that first summer that my parents decided to buy a house in that seashore town! We quickly became part of the little seashore community and became part of a very special family. Our house sat between the bay and the ocean. Steps away from all kinds of seashore activities. Boating, biking, swimming, and of course fishing and crabbing to name a few.
I loved to go surf fishing with my dad. We would wait til it was just about dark. My dad always said, "That's when the best fish swim by." I would shine my light brightly and proudly knowing I was helping my dad try to catch that prize fish! My dad would say "That little lantern is good luck and will shine forever!"
At night sometimes we would go crabbing and my light would be used as the bait for the crabs. It was fun to watch the crabs as they swam towards my light. My parents always told me, "Lisa your light is wonderful and will shine forever!"
As years passed in our tiny little seashore town, people came and people left. Summers turned into Winters and Winters to Summers. Although my light was getting tired it still continued to shine brightly. I was now convinced my light would shine forever!
Until one day in October! There was an approaching storm and while we had faced many storms of many sizes this one seemed different. The small family seashore town was worried. Mom and Dad helped others prepare for the worst. Some did not believe it would be bad and took warnings lightly.
The storm was named Sandy and as it crept up the coast we sat and watched as the news reporters told us "this one is really big!" As it got closer people began to leave the small seashore town. My mom and dad didn't know what to do.
As the storm got closer the waves got bigger. As the waves got bigger the wind got stronger. As the wind got stronger the power went out. I ran to get my little lantern. Even though it was old and tired it still helped us see and ease our fears.
As night began to fall my dad decided we needed to leave because it just wasn't safe. My sister, my parents, and I quickly packed the car and headed off the island. As we started down the road I all of a sudden realized I had left with out the lantern. "Dad, we have to go back!" However, by now the wind was stronger, the water was higher, and it was getting darker. As I sat quietly in the back seat of the car I also realized I had left my lantern on. "Don't worry Lisa" said mom, "that little light will shine forever!" By now I was beginning to doubt my lantern could shine forever and feared my special prize would be lost forever!
The storm was worse than anyone had thought. Towns were devastated, roads were damaged terribly, and the little seashore town had been destroyed by a storm named Sandy.
We had to stay with my cousin who lived on the mainland for a few days. We watched in horror as pictures began to show up on the news. The little seashore town I knew and loved had been damaged terribly. The boardwalk I walked on was gone, the beaches I walked on searching for treasures, was ruined, friends' homes were gone!
The most amazing site was the roller coaster ~ it was in the ocean! That same roller coaster I had my very first ride on. The pier we walked on and had so much fun on summer after summer~ gone! The arcade where I won my lantern was no longer there. How could this happen? Why did this happen? What was going to become of the small seashore town I knew and loved?
Days and days went by.......Finally we were allowed to cross over the bridge and check on our house. As we met up with friends we cried, shared stories, and cleaned what Sandy had left behind. Because there was so much damage we could not stay in the house yet. So we gathered up some belongings to carry us until we were able to return. As we packed up some of our clothes and other items I had suddenly realized my lantern was gone! Probably swept away by the same water that swept away so many childhood memories and so many of my friends homes. I was saddened but knowing that so many others had lost so much more than a lantern.
As we drove down the sandy road, we saw crumbled homes, broken roads, army trucks, and police officers from many different states. It felt as if we were never coming back. At least not to the little seashore town I remembered.
Months passed by, holidays came and went. Rebuild and restore became two terms that would become so popular to that small seashore town and all of its residents. We knew in our hearts that the people of that small town were strong, but we all knew we would come back even stronger. Some thought it would be years, some thought months, and there were some that thought never.
I myself could not wait to be allowed to get back on the beaches where I found so many wonderful treasures, fished with my dad, and spent tireless hours. I finally found a spot where I could walk. I stood on the beach and was amazed to see how devastated the small town still seemed. The pier where those bright lights, rides, and voices of families enjoying their summer night was empty! There was no smell of carmel popcorn and the arcade was gone. Although it was rebuilding, there was still so much heartache for those of us who had such close ties to the true sprirt of that small seahsore town.
As I walked I noticed a new boardwalk was being built and the people were working harder than ever to get things back to normal. The sounds of the rides were replaced by hammers and saws. As I continued my walk I found pieces of lives that had been shattered.
As I walked down my street heading back to my house, suddenly something caught my eye. I bent down and started to dig. I was in awe of what I found. Buried under the sand just as many others had been for months was my little
lantern.....and it was still shining! It had been tossed, tumbled, overcome with water, but still shining! Just like my parents always said.
It was at that moment that I was filled with a strong feeling I had known all along. My seashore town was strong. It was a town filled with people who knew what this town stood for. Most of all my small seashore town had a heart. A heart that may have been torn and battered by a storm named Sandy, but could not and would not be broken.
So just like my little lantern - my little seashore town will be back. The carmel popcorn will fall on summer breezes. The cotton candy, ice cream and pizza will return. Those wonderful summer sights and sounds will be heard for years to come and many memories will be made. The bright lights just as my little lantern, though they were a little tossed and turned will shine forever!
***AUTHOR'S NOTE*****
I was born and raised in Seaside Park, NJ, worked on the boardwalk , and have strong family ties still in the towns of Seaside Park and Seaside Heights.
This story was prompted by a small fishing lantern that my son and I found about 6 years ago on Long Beach Island, NJ. It was buried in the sand and lit. It has worked continuously and most importantly during Super Storm Sandy. As I sat in my quiet, dark house it occured to me that what this little light had been through and yet it still was working when we needed it the most. It helped us get through a very dark time with hope, faith, and a little bit of light.
Shine Forever...A Sandy Story(Jeane Matejkowski Taylor)
Click-click-click-click-click-------CLUNK! The roller coaster climbs to the top of its first high hill then jerks to a stop! My heart is jumping with the fear and excitement of my very first roller coaster ride.
My name is Lisa and my family and I are spending the summer in a wonderful, fun-filled seashore town. We rented a nice little bungalow on a quiet street near the bay. A bungalow is a nice small house that covers most of this little town.
SWISSSSHHHH<WHIRRRRRRRR<RATTTTLE as the coaster makes its journey around the steel track. I smell the fresh carmel popcorn, I see the sparkling, colorful lights, and I hear the music from the other rides as other kids and families enjoy the sights and sounds of boardwalk in summer. We ate ice cream, pizza, and cotton candy. We rode on the carousel, log flume, and swings. My sister and I even got to play games in the arcade. I tried my luck at the cranes and successfully won a prize! I could not wait to see what it was. When I opened it I found a small replica of a lantern. My sister said, "Oh that is stupid! It is cheap and probably won't work!" I just knew this special prize would shine forever. It was late and we had to walk home along the boardwalk. We used my light to guide us back. Mom said, "Your light will shine forever!"
My family and I had so much fun that first summer that my parents decided to buy a house in that seashore town! We quickly became part of the little seashore community and became part of a very special family. Our house sat between the bay and the ocean. Steps away from all kinds of seashore activities. Boating, biking, swimming, and of course fishing and crabbing to name a few.
I loved to go surf fishing with my dad. We would wait til it was just about dark. My dad always said, "That's when the best fish swim by." I would shine my light brightly and proudly knowing I was helping my dad try to catch that prize fish! My dad would say "That little lantern is good luck and will shine forever!"
At night sometimes we would go crabbing and my light would be used as the bait for the crabs. It was fun to watch the crabs as they swam towards my light. My parents always told me, "Lisa your light is wonderful and will shine forever!"
As years passed in our tiny little seashore town, people came and people left. Summers turned into Winters and Winters to Summers. Although my light was getting tired it still continued to shine brightly. I was now convinced my light would shine forever!
Until one day in October! There was an approaching storm and while we had faced many storms of many sizes this one seemed different. The small family seashore town was worried. Mom and Dad helped others prepare for the worst. Some did not believe it would be bad and took warnings lightly.
The storm was named Sandy and as it crept up the coast we sat and watched as the news reporters told us "this one is really big!" As it got closer people began to leave the small seashore town. My mom and dad didn't know what to do.
As the storm got closer the waves got bigger. As the waves got bigger the wind got stronger. As the wind got stronger the power went out. I ran to get my little lantern. Even though it was old and tired it still helped us see and ease our fears.
As night began to fall my dad decided we needed to leave because it just wasn't safe. My sister, my parents, and I quickly packed the car and headed off the island. As we started down the road I all of a sudden realized I had left with out the lantern. "Dad, we have to go back!" However, by now the wind was stronger, the water was higher, and it was getting darker. As I sat quietly in the back seat of the car I also realized I had left my lantern on. "Don't worry Lisa" said mom, "that little light will shine forever!" By now I was beginning to doubt my lantern could shine forever and feared my special prize would be lost forever!
The storm was worse than anyone had thought. Towns were devastated, roads were damaged terribly, and the little seashore town had been destroyed by a storm named Sandy.
We had to stay with my cousin who lived on the mainland for a few days. We watched in horror as pictures began to show up on the news. The little seashore town I knew and loved had been damaged terribly. The boardwalk I walked on was gone, the beaches I walked on searching for treasures, was ruined, friends' homes were gone!
The most amazing site was the roller coaster ~ it was in the ocean! That same roller coaster I had my very first ride on. The pier we walked on and had so much fun on summer after summer~ gone! The arcade where I won my lantern was no longer there. How could this happen? Why did this happen? What was going to become of the small seashore town I knew and loved?
Days and days went by.......Finally we were allowed to cross over the bridge and check on our house. As we met up with friends we cried, shared stories, and cleaned what Sandy had left behind. Because there was so much damage we could not stay in the house yet. So we gathered up some belongings to carry us until we were able to return. As we packed up some of our clothes and other items I had suddenly realized my lantern was gone! Probably swept away by the same water that swept away so many childhood memories and so many of my friends homes. I was saddened but knowing that so many others had lost so much more than a lantern.
As we drove down the sandy road, we saw crumbled homes, broken roads, army trucks, and police officers from many different states. It felt as if we were never coming back. At least not to the little seashore town I remembered.
Months passed by, holidays came and went. Rebuild and restore became two terms that would become so popular to that small seashore town and all of its residents. We knew in our hearts that the people of that small town were strong, but we all knew we would come back even stronger. Some thought it would be years, some thought months, and there were some that thought never.
I myself could not wait to be allowed to get back on the beaches where I found so many wonderful treasures, fished with my dad, and spent tireless hours. I finally found a spot where I could walk. I stood on the beach and was amazed to see how devastated the small town still seemed. The pier where those bright lights, rides, and voices of families enjoying their summer night was empty! There was no smell of carmel popcorn and the arcade was gone. Although it was rebuilding, there was still so much heartache for those of us who had such close ties to the true sprirt of that small seahsore town.
As I walked I noticed a new boardwalk was being built and the people were working harder than ever to get things back to normal. The sounds of the rides were replaced by hammers and saws. As I continued my walk I found pieces of lives that had been shattered.
As I walked down my street heading back to my house, suddenly something caught my eye. I bent down and started to dig. I was in awe of what I found. Buried under the sand just as many others had been for months was my little
lantern.....and it was still shining! It had been tossed, tumbled, overcome with water, but still shining! Just like my parents always said.
It was at that moment that I was filled with a strong feeling I had known all along. My seashore town was strong. It was a town filled with people who knew what this town stood for. Most of all my small seashore town had a heart. A heart that may have been torn and battered by a storm named Sandy, but could not and would not be broken.
So just like my little lantern - my little seashore town will be back. The carmel popcorn will fall on summer breezes. The cotton candy, ice cream and pizza will return. Those wonderful summer sights and sounds will be heard for years to come and many memories will be made. The bright lights just as my little lantern, though they were a little tossed and turned will shine forever!
***AUTHOR'S NOTE*****
I was born and raised in Seaside Park, NJ, worked on the boardwalk , and have strong family ties still in the towns of Seaside Park and Seaside Heights.
This story was prompted by a small fishing lantern that my son and I found about 6 years ago on Long Beach Island, NJ. It was buried in the sand and lit. It has worked continuously and most importantly during Super Storm Sandy. As I sat in my quiet, dark house it occured to me that what this little light had been through and yet it still was working when we needed it the most. It helped us get through a very dark time with hope, faith, and a little bit of light.
- Share this story on
- 3
COMMENTS (0)