I saw the title of a blog yesterday that mentioned dolphins and immediately brought to mind this story:

When my son was just a tike, he had contracted whooping cough from the DPT vaccine. Because the medication he took kept him up all hours of the day and night, I got very little sleep, and when he coughed, he whooped. It was very difficult to stay awake during the day and care for him at night. The answer: work at night when he was awake and cat naps during the day when he slept.

 I had worked with the wonderful woman, Kate who treated more like a daughter than her supervisor.  She and her husband owned a summer house near Rehoboth Beach, DE. 

Seeing the bags under my eye grow progressively worse from being up all night with Brandon, she pulled into my driveway one Friday afternoon, marched into my home and packed a suitcase for the baby and me.  She and her family were intent on taking me away for the week to enjoy the water and the sun of the Delaware shore. Kate told me, "We're taking you and the baby, and you WILL enjoy a restful week." Who am I to argue?

The week was beautiful.  The weather hot, the ocean warm, but not too warm; jellyfish, you know.  One lazy afternoon, Kate's son Andrew and I were in the ocean, waist deep playing with the baby when out of the corner of my eye I spotted what looked like a dorsal fin..

My heart sank to the ocean floor.  Andrew saw the same thing and yelled out, "Stay where you are and they won't bother you." Now let me interject here, I've seen "Jaws" and trust me, I was not about to be shark food!  I thought I was going to be a hero and throw Brandon to Andrew who was about 15-20 feet away from me.  Super-human strength...I could do it!!!

I raised Brandon above my head and was ready to throw him to Andrew when this gray nose came between my son and me.  I stopped and looked in amazement!    All around Brandon and I were 3 dolphins.  We could only guess they swam away from their school and got lost here in the Atlantic on their way South.

Brandon put his hand out to one of them and stroked his nose.  Then the second one came close; then the third.  Andrew swam out to us and there we were, the three of us, swimming with the dolphins.  These wonderful, warm, caring, sensitive creatures befriended us; treated us as one of their own.  They would dance for Brandon as he screamed with delight. We petted them, kissed them, and played with them as you do any pet. Two hours later of having an absolute unforgettable time and looking like red prunes, we headed for the shoreline. The problem was the dolphins followed us and were beaching themselves.  We'd swim out; they'd swim out.  We'd swim in; they'd swim in.  Fearing they would really harm themselves, Andrew and I swam out as far as we could so they could get back on track. 

They left us when another school of dolphins approached.  I was rather sad when our friends left us as we've never had another chance to do that again.  Oh, you can pay to swim with dolphins in Florida, but it's not the same.  I tell Brandon this story every time we are at the shore and see little ones playing in the sand.  It brings back that wonderful day when we swam with the dolphins.

Enjoy your day!  Cheryl