Life is short...live it!

We made a trip to the beach today because when the sun comes out in Oregon in November and it supposed to be 60, well, you get outside and do something fun with the kids. And that we did today. We chose to go to Hug Point State Park. It's located just south of Cannon Beach. It was a beautifully warm and not a breeze was felt. We ate our picnic lunch and then the kids started to play in the little bit of sand between the rocks.

Then all the sudden we heard a helicopter getting near. Now, at the OR coast I have heard and seen the Coast Guard helicopters zoom by us while on the beach but never stop right in front of us. DUDE, I was like WHAT? Then I'm searching around going did something just happen to someone. I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. I had never seen anything like this before. The helicopter did a search pattern towards the rocks to our left. (We have climbed those rocks ourselves, with our boys! last summer) Then all the sudden a man drops out of the helicopter on rope and they drop him onto the rocks around the other side where we could not see. Maybe a minute later the rope was being pulled with 2 people dangling. The one being rescued we thought, was dangling quite a lot. It was so intense and there were people all around standing in awe. I even had a tear in my eye. Here was a woman (we found out later when we saw her up close) being plucked from the rocks in the rip roaring waves crashing into her, thanking God for her life just then. I was so happy and thankful for not only her life being saved but thankful we were all accounted for. I just held my kids so close at that moment!

And then the helicopter started the search pattern again. My heart sunk. I thought oh my goodness someone is in the water. Come to find out by reading a news story online that yes indeed someone was washed into the ocean by sneaker wave, her companion, a man. We watched as the helicopter furiously searched the rocks over and over, and out into the ocean and all along the coastline immediately around us for 2 hours. At that point I was overcome with the thought that whoever is out there, is probably no longer living and this is more of a recovery effort than a rescue effort. I was not able to deal with possibly seeing that happen, so we packed up the kids and moved on towards home deciding we had enough beach for the day.

Sitting there on the log watching the helicopter search and search and watching my kids play so happily without a care. I thought of how lucky I am to have them. And I just prayed. I thanked God for all my gifts and blessings and I also prayed for the person lifted to safety and the one still left out there somewhere. I am again reminded today at how short life is, and to enjoy each of life's moments. AND if you have something you need to say, then just do it! Don't wait for another day or a better moment... just do it! Live life to the fullest! And be thankful for all you have! Thanksgiving is coming up all to shortly here and there is much to be thankful for these days... have you started thinking of all that you have to be thankful for?