Vacationing in Myrtle Beach, I was catching some rays at the pool when a couple strolled by. His ebony skin struck a vivid contrast against her blonde hair and freckled sunburn. Years ago interracial relationships were shunned by many and yet, today they're common. I thought about the opposition that similar couples must have taken a few decades back to pave the way for the freedom others now have. This couple at the pool probably had no idea what others previously endured to be together in a society that dictated a different normalcy. What is now normal was not always so.

 

Who defines normal anyway?

Thirty years ago, couples that went against the cultural mindset were change breakers. They weren't afraid to make a u-turn or go out on a stormy day without an umbrella. In an approval hungry society, they didn't lay their foundation on other's opinions.  They decided to take a chance to make a change.

Later the same day, my family and I headed down to Broadway at the Beach, the local day-tripper trap. John had just given Garrett a hundred-dollar bill for spending money and it started a fire in his wallet. When he saw a four-dollar hackie sack he wanted, he flashed the cash.

John saw the hesitation on the cashier's face that didn't look too happy about breaking a large bill for a small purchase. "Put away your money, Garrett," John insisted as he reached in his pocket.

Change is easier to make when the bill is smaller.