Go Beyond

Corpus Christi, Texas

A little more than thirty-five years ago I arrived in Corpus Christi, never expecting that this “Sparkling City by the Sea” would become my home for the next seven years. And when I drove down Shoreline Drive that first time, the vista was so beautiful that I wanted to stay for a lifetime. There was just something about looking out at the vast expanse of Corpus Christi Bay that made me feel at home.

When I started my service at Second Baptist Church, I felt like the luckiest guy in the world because I could walk out my office door and look toward the beautiful blue bay. Many times I would go down to Shoreline Drive to eat my lunch or to just watch the ships coming into or leaving the port. I always enjoyed the feeling of sitting at the edge of the world and wondering about the nations beyond the horizon.

Last night, Cheryl and I returned to Corpus Christi to visit her parents. I especially like driving over the Harbor Bridge at night because it affords a cool view of the lights reflecting off the water. At Christmas, this entry point is especially beautiful because of the colored lights on the bridge and the buildings.

This morning, I drove to Shoreline Drive for a walk along the waterfront. My earliest memories of this marina area are of coming here on vacation with my family. Mom and Dad took my sister and me to the t-heads where we met shrimpers. And then they took us out on a boat excursion where we held up crackers for the seagulls to eat. Dad captured these special moments on his 8mm camera.

I thought a lot about those happy days as I walked slowly beside the shrimp boats this morning. I stopped and had a nice chat with one shrimper — a colorful character with a weathered face, bushy mustache, raspy voice, and one arm. Shrimping is hard work and I wondered how the one-armed man was able to manage the equipment on his boat. Somehow he did. While we were talking, a couple visiting from China stopped to buy some shrimp from him and joined in the conversation. We all had an enjoyable visit.

No matter where we go, there are always interesting people to meet. I believe that it’s definitely worth slowing down and taking the initiative to meet people, even if we only have a few minutes to spend with them. You never know how investing a few minutes in someone else might be just the thing they needed or you needed to brighten your day.

I enjoyed my nostalgic stroll today and am grateful that my Mom and Dad modeled for me the importance of meeting others in those early years when we stopped to meet and talk with shrimpers on our visit to Corpus Christi.