My Own Wrinkle in Time

“Why, you had your own wrinkle in time,” my friend exclaimed.

I’d recounted a story in which he had given me a surprising gift

We’re both fans of Madeleine L’Engle‘s Newberry award winning novel A Wrinkle in Time, but his words caught me by surprise.

I hadn’t thought of it that way before, but he was correct (you can read the story here).

As I marveled, I remembered another wrinkle and how it blessed me and a stranger.

I hope it helps you, too, watch for similar wrinkles in your life.

Hawai’i

Several years ago, my daughter and I spent time together on O’ahu.

We’d lived on Pearl Harbor for four years when she was a toddler. My husband retired from the Navy just before she turned five.

She didn’t remember much about our life there.

The two of us drove about the island as I told story after story. “How come you know where all the libraries are?” she asked at one point.

“Don’t you remember spending time there? You were always with me.”

A withering look came my way.

One afternoon found us at Bellow’s Beach, a beautiful site reserved for military people during the week. We parked at the same spot as always (for me) and settled in on a beautiful day–with just a handful of other vacationers.

I don’t know how many times I’d watched my children boogie boarding in the perfect waves while I sat in the shade.

That day the two of us body surfed and boogie boarded until I retreated to my chair and she built a sand castle.

Another couple settled not far away and let their little girl loose. The 18 month-old in a pink swimsuit with a plastic bucket and shovel toddled past and began to dig.

Tears

Time folded over itself as I sat there and tears suddenly filled my eyes. It could have been my little girl–in fact, it often was.

We’d sat at that spot, she’d stumbled along the beach and her brothers shouted from the sea.

But on that day, only the waves and the seabirds called.

I opened and shut my eyes twice.

My daughter called from her sand castle, “come help!” The little girl turned in her direction.

Photos

As the child’s father stood, I spoke. “Make sure you take lots of pictures.”

He held up his phone.

“My daughter walked this same beach seemingly just the other day.” I pointed at her. “She’ll graduate from college in June. Time has flown.”

His eyes widened and he took pictures as fast as he could.

My daughter lifted her hand to the toddler and laughed–at herself in a wrinkle of time?

No–it was my wrinkle.

She just saw a kindred spirit in an adorable pink bathing suit.

I’m a history lover who lives in stories. I’m a genealogist who remembers the names.

Wrinkles in time humble and thrill me–and I love when I can remember a blessed time in my past life.

How about you?

Tweetables

A wrinkle in time on a Hawaiian beach. Click to Tweet

What do wrinkles in time look like in real life? Click to Tweet

Take the photos before those toddlers go to college! Click to Tweet

Those interested in Oswald and Biddy Chambers might enjoy short monthly stories about God’s leading in writing Mrs. Oswald Chambers (to be released in October 2017 by Baker Books).

February’s appropriate story: “In which Oswald Chambers presents an opportunity to write a romance novel.”