22 sentiments shared

Sea to shining Sea.

Dearest America,

When I first met you, I was an early twenty something.  I was impressionable and you, you were all things impressive.  I marveled at your glamor, I swooned at your glossy stores.  You were the same as home, but different.  Calvin Klein t-shirts for under fifty dollars?  A whole restaurant serving only vegetarian food?  Cirque de Soleil in Vegas and sugary bignettes in the French Quarter.  Sunny walks through San Francisco.  Needless to say,  I fell rather hard for your amazing self and then, well,  it was over.  Ten days later and I made my way back to the simpler life.

Fifteen years on, I’d mostly forgotten our love affair.  I’m sorry.  Life got busy.  I grew up, a bit.  I found another love and we made four children and honestly, I had no plans to meet up with you again.  Fate however, guided me back and one Summer day,  I found myself strolling through Laguna Beach.  Surrounded by breath-taking Spanish architecture and late afternoon sunlight, my heart swelled while I declared that I had found my Heaven on Earth.  I dreamed out loud of spending every day with you.  I soaked you up and I embraced the other you I hadn’t seen through younger eyes.  Your natural beauty.

It wasn’t just me though, we all fell for your charms and between then and now have returned more than once.  Every time, we travel further, we discover more.   We return to the same community where we’re welcomed in by our neighbors and little by little, you have become our home away from home.   And every single day, when the light drops over that ocean, my heart swells all over again and I ponder how it feels to be really and truly in love with you.  I know there’s more of you to see, so much more.  I dream of Summer road-trips though the desert and meandering down Madison Avenue in Winter.   We both know that Australia will always be my first love,  but you will always live in my heart as the refuge that gave us hope for a happy future when our present was nothing but unbearable.  You offered sunshine through the clouds and a place to create new memories with our children.  You helped us find a way forward.

This past weekend, we’ve never felt closer, or further away from you.  Watching one of your darkest days retold from the safety of our lounge-rooms, we’re so awfully sad for you and we’re so filled with pride seeing how you have rebuilt.   Your loss is big, but your strength is bigger.  You’re an amazing example of resilience and unity and today, you make us very very grateful for the luxury of freedom.  To sleep safe in our beds and to spend simple days at the beach with our children.  America, we think you’re pretty special and just wanted to tell you so.

Love Always,
Sheye x

1. Louise Tee says:

   aaahhhh. so beautiful. where is the button to download tissues with your blog posts?
   kids on the beach, and a west coast sunset. heaven on earth.
   much love to you ms sheye xoxo

   
2. Betsy Jo says:

   Wow. I am crying. So beautifully written. ‘Makes me realize again how blessed I am to be born in the US, to love and live and feel the freedom we all share. God bless America, and you.

   
3. Marsha B says:

   “Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there” if ever there was a country I truly admire for their absolute patriotism and love of their country its America. God Bless America! Gorgeous photos Sheye! xx

   
4. becky kimball says:

   oh sheye! that was so beautifully put. thank you. being an american is something i will never, ever take for granted. god bless.

   
5. Jessica Cudzilo says:

   This made my heart swell. Thank you.

   
6. Life with Kaishon says:

   Oh, Sheye. I loved this post. So perfect to read this love letter to the United States on this day, 9.11.11. Thank you for coming and for loving. And most of all, thank you for remembering : ).
   We love you back.

   
7. Staci Gwinn says:

   It’s so nice to hear someone say some positive things about this great nation. In spite of all our faults and all that we do wrong I too still love this country. Beautiful sentiment!

   
8. Libby says:

   Lovely words. Lovely photos. Thank you for your grace.

   
9. Catherine says:

   America loves you, too, Sheye. Thanks for the beautiful tribute to our country.

   
10. Katie says:

    Thank you, Sheye. For standing behind us, for sharing our pain, for seeing our good. It means more than you can know. xx

    
11. Rachel Marie Photography says:

    Beautifully written. My mom grew up in Laguna, so it holds a special place in my heart. When I was first reading your post, I was honestly waiting for you to announce that you were moving over here to our side of the world! :)

    
12. Jackie says:

    Thank you for such a lovely and touching post. Photography is not your only gift – you have such a way with words! Your letter warmed my heart, and filled my eyes with tears :) I hope to visit Australia someday and fall in love with it as you have with the U.S.

    
13. Liz says:

    I feel the same way whenever I visit America too, there is something very special and welcoming about her. I’ve not visited Laguna but your pictures are beautiful and it’s now gone on my list of places to go x

    
14. Leanne Ambrogio says:

    You say it so perfectly with both your words and your pictures – oh to spend a day on the beach with you and my camera – I know I would learn so much, and not just about photography. Thanks for such a beautiful post as always – can’t wait for Evolve in october – I am hungry for more xxx Leanne xxx

    
15. shelbi says:

    this touched me so deeply. being a proud american, it’s something magical to hear someone i so admire talk about my country with such a tender heart and intense passion. living just miles away from laguna, (which has been my first love, and healing place my whole life through) it thrills my heart to think of you here too. xo

    
16. Nichole says:

    Your beach skies are always so gorgeous, like a watercolor painting. SIGH, I am in love with these… xo

    
17. Nicole says:

    Wow. I think this is one of the most touching tributes I’ve ever read. I had to leave the US for a time to think about “her” and what she meant. When I arrived back in the US, I was addressed at customs with a “Welcome Home to America” and I literally cried. Thank you for reminding me of that sentiment. And thank you for sharing your experiences here through words and lovely photos.

    
18. malia says:

    such a beautiful post. xx

    
19. Alisia K says:

    so beautiful.
    thank you, sheye.
    xx

    
20. Jody says:

    So so so beautiful xxxx

    
21. Inger says:

    I love these images, I feel they capture summer in a perfect way: sun, sand and time to spend all day at the beach with your family. Gorgeous processing.

    
22. Tab says:

    I love to read your blog. Every time I do, I end up pondering on things, especially my boys, and now how lucky I am to live here in the US. It’s strange to think of someone living in a place that I have dreamed and longed to see, wanting to be here. Then again… I’d love to be in Laguna Beach right now. Heavenly.