
Six miles.
Six miles from my house.
A 10 minute ride or so on the Harley, down winding roads, to a place where a mother has tangibly shown the world, at least our local part of that world, how much she loves her daughter.
Mrs. Brutally Honest and I found this... this... oasis... by accident a couple of months ago while simply looking for a place to ride the bikes.
We came to a dead end and started to turn around when I noticed the sign.
Heide's Point.
Next to the sign, a beautiful wrought iron gate, framed and anchored by stone pillars, opening to a sandy walkway leading to the water's edge. On the right stone pillar, we noticed a placard.
There we read about Heidi Laura Cayouette. Born in 1961. Died in 1997. An airline and aerobatic pilot, apparently killed in an airplane crash.
We dismounted, and walked together through the gate. Less than a hundred yards down this finger of land surrounded by water, there on the Poquoson River, we found a small lighthouse (maybe 20 feet or so high). Another placard honoring Heidi's life at the base, at eye-level.
The lighthouse stands at the end of the point, surrounded by marshlands and park benches. A beacon of love, from a mom to her daughter, on display for all those fortunate enough to find it.
It was a moving day. You could just about feel the love.
We've been back numerous times. One of those times, we found the mother there on the grounds near the lighthouse, atop a riding lawn mower. We smiled at her and without turning the mower off, she motioned toward the solar panel at the water's edge, and told us that the lighthouse really does light up at night. Then she rode away, as if to leave us there with her memories.
Again, we were moved. Again, you could just about feel the love.
We've since found that the mother lives alone, just up the street from the point. And we've also found that it's visited often by other people. Last weekend we drove up just as a young couple was leaving. We found a six pack of empty beer bottles beside our favorite bench. That infuriated me. We made sure to discard the bottles as we left, trying in some small way to restore a part of the point's pristine-ness.
It has become one of our favorite local places to visit, especially as the sun is setting. Quite obviously, Heidi's Point is a mother's memorial of devotion and love toward a daughter who's life ended long before it should have but it's also become much more than that.
It's become for me a place of escape. It's a place to go... and remember. A place to go... and forget. A place to go... and think and ponder. A place to go... to simply sit quietly, to read, to look off into the distance and just... be.
Heidi's Point.
If you're ever in the area, you're gonna have to check it out.
UPDATE: I've posted some relevant pics.
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