It is always nice to get away and relax a bit with the family, and this week, I have enjoyed the sun and sand at the beach.

I have nearly finished reading a book and I survived trying to learn how to ride the waves on a boogie board.

Apparently, body surfing in this fashion is not my thing. After much coaching from the youngest in the family, I would still wipe out. Therefore, after faceplanting numerous times, rolling over with the waves and swallowing mouthfuls of saltwater, I gave up and dried off.

A girl can only be the entertainment for just so long.

Walking on the beach was much safer and obviously less embarrassing, so I kept to the shoreline searching for shells.

On one of my walks, I went with my youngest granddaughter. She is a hoot. She is as curious as a cat and never stops asking questions.

And Frenchy (my grandmother name) was in heaven when she reached out to hold my hand.

We made our way down the beach and before we got too far from the rest of the family, who were sunning, we turned around. On our way back, my granddaughter decided to get behind me and walk in the footprints I was leaving behind in the sand.

She did this for a while and then ran ahead. When she slowed down, I too, then tried to step into her footprints.

She had a fast little clip going, so it was a bit of a challenge.

In trying to keep up, something occurred to me: It is early on in their lives that children watch and mimic our actions — following the footsteps we leave behind.

But as time goes on and these little ones grow and mature and become adults, we become the ones who follow in their steps.

And like me trying to step into my granddaughter’s small footprints, this can be a challenge. It can be hard to succumb to new ways of thinking and technological advances.

I mean, there have been times I have had to call my youngest daughter and ask her how to turn on the television.

These past couple of weeks, our local high schools have graduated hundreds of students — students who have followed in the footsteps of those who walked before them.

But now begins their journey. A journey where they will be the ones stepping out in front — the ones like my grandchildren  —  and the next generation will follow.