The Bench

The view from Blockhouse Island.




It’s my favourite place to be. It’s peace. It’s my escape. It’s my thinking spot. It’s where my head sits on my shoulders straight, my mind runs free, my soul shines and my heart beats.
It’s the bench. Not just any bench, the bench near the waters edge, where the water flows by and i get lost in. It’s calming.
This, is my escape. This is where i go. This is where you can always find me.

***


The view from that bench, i always find myself lost in it. It's in a small town called Brockville, just past Kingston, Ontario. My grandparents have lived there for over 10 years and i always found myself there almost every summer to visit them.

The idea of driving 3-4 hours in a car with my brother and step sister never sat well with me. Without a doubt there would be whining and complaining from all of us the whole way there.

But, my father always made us go and i never realized how much i enjoyed it up until 3 or 4 years ago when i started going every summer at least twice.

I remember when i was younger driving with my grandmother all around Brockville to get us ice cream or our new favorite movie, just to have something to distract us.

But as i got older the idea of spending time with two people who taught me so much and whom i love with my whole heart well, it was something i loved nothing more then to go do.

I started taking the train to see them every summer. I would always catch an evening train there so i could see the sun set as we drove past Lake Ontario. Some of the prettiest view i have ever seen. Every time i arrived my grandfather would pick me up and we would head to their quaint little house just a few streets over.

My favourite part about being there was 2 things.
1) Getting to know my grandparents so well and spending as much time with my grandmother as i could so that i would remember how she was before she started to forget everything.
and
2) Was going to sit by the water at Blockhouse Island with them because they loved it so much. We would turn on Frank Sinatra in the car and just sit there four a couple hours. It's so pretty. I would always find myself sitting on a bench right by the edge of the water though.
Something about the fresh air and the sounds and all the sail boats, it just clears your mind.

If I had it my way, I would be there every month to see them and take care of them but I can't. So i go as often as i can. I'll probably go 3 times this summer.

***
It’s my favourite place to be. It’s peace. It’s my escape. It’s my thinking spot. It’s where my head sits on my shoulders straight, my mind runs free, my soul shines and my heart beats.
It’s the bench. Not just any bench, the bench near the waters edge, where the water flows by and i get lost in. It’s calming.
This, is my escape. This is where i go. This is where you can always find me, EVERY. Summer.