The ocean in my backyard is the pool built by my father when my parents first started having children. Each summer, the opening of our pool usually starts with my sisters birthday in May. Family and friends come over to enjoy the thawing of winter with a heated pool and hot tub. We would all race around the pool deck, being chased by the family dog, to find the best place to jump in and submerge ourselves in happiness that hadn’t been felt since September. Of course we always had our casualties, friends slipping on the pool deck, cousins being pushed in by older siblings and floats being pulled away causing belly flops on the water. I can’t think of a time where the pool was seen as dangerous. My parents were diligent, someone was always watching from the kitchen sink and the toddlers always wore life jackets. From these memories, I can only hope that one day when I have my own personal family, that I am fortunate enough to be able to provide such a place where memories can be reminisced about in such a positive way.  ds106dc