Life isn’t about what you have, it’s about what you’ve done, where you’ve been and who’s been there with you along the way. Here’s how one mom decided to find her happiness in her experiences and chose to give her sons the same opportunity.
By Melissa Macarages
During my life, I have had many heartaches, and I have struggled. During those times, I have fallen back on my experiences with nature to soothe my soul. This is a coping skill that I have tried to pass along to my little fellas. Get outside, because it is there you will find what nurtures your soul—your “happy place.”
We all have our happy places. For me, visiting the ocean or any salty shore is the equivalent to hitting a reset button for my head and my heart. There, I am 100 percent present, and my mind is free. The smell of oyster bars means an adventure is about to happen. It’s been that way since I was 16. The passion that I have for the ocean and fishing has never left me. I have leaned on it many times during my life.
When I was 15, my 11-year-old brother died in a tragic accident. I was devastated and broken. My world was upside down. Living through this type of trauma leaves its mark.
