My Beautiful Summer In Winter

There are many beautiful things about my 2026 trip to the Bahamas. I exchanged 3 weeks of WInter in Queensland, Australia, for 3 weeks of Summer in Nassau, Bahamas. Lots of little objects and miscellaneous bits and pieces are what made this summer so beautiful, but so did some much larger concepts that also find their way into this blog post.

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Let's start with the big news. About a month ago, I reached out to a father I haven't spoken to in 5 years. There was a lot of complexity involved in my decision to reach out, but also a lot of simplicity: trusting my instincts and developing a sense of timing that just felt right. My mum always taught me to trust my gut, and so that's what I did. I let my heart do the talking instead of my mind. A feeling in my body that had become ice-cold began to melt with the summer heat, breaking down my glacier walls and gradually opening up to the possibility of having a relationship with my dad again. Things that I thought he'd never say, he said. And that meant a lot to me. It made me trust again. It made me warm again. It began to complete a part of my life that had become empty. I'm so glad I reached out, because it allowed for growth, acceptance, change, love, and faith on both behalves. I wouldn't be doing this if a) it didn't feel right and b) I didn't want to.

We've both found forgiveness, and that's as uncomplicated as this new chapter together has to be.

How is the chapter going? How is the connection developing? Well, rather, it is not developing, but I would say a better word to use would be flourishing, because that is what is happening. The conversation is as connected as it was when I was a little girl, and things were far simpler. The remorse, apology, and yearning are apparent on both behalves and instead of rubbing it in, we both recognise it, speak about it, and leave it at that; we know both of us have been hurting in our years of silence, and it is not necessary, nor desired, for either of us to intensify that hurt. Actually, this chapter is quite plainly: just lovely. Things couldn’t be going better.

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My favourite thing about flying is the coziness of doing a skincare routine. It feels so hydrating amidst all the blasting air conditioning, and cleansing amidst all the coughing and breathing. On the plane, my #1 favourite and most important skincare tip is to use a plush headband. My Auntie gifted me mine, so I don't know exactly where it's from, but there are hundreds online. Mine is (of course, duh!) pink. I then go on to washing my face, which I simply do with water. The most relaxing part of this routine is the hydrating face mask I pack and the under-eye gold patches that my best friend gifted me from Japan. Finally, I use Frank Body, body lotion for my under-100ml limit to soften and rejuvenate my face. It takes me about 10-15 minutes, and the final feeling is indescribable.

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'Friends like family, family like friends'; a true quote that envelopes the love I have for my friends in the Bahamas, who feel and have always felt like family. Adrian took on the role of my second father, or godfather, who's my Dad's best friend here. He always loved me, believed in me and told me how special I was. He raised three children born to a different father, who all became very important to me, in particular his 'son' of the same age as me, Giveson. We would go to his basketball games or sit at home, all four of us (my Dad, Adrian, Giveson and I) watching the NBA together. He was my first real friend in the Bahamas, so I have a very soft spot for him in my heart. I touched down in Nassau this Summer on Friday, August 6, and my Dad had organised a lunch with Adrian and his whole family for Saturday, August 7. I didn't even have to wait 24 hours before I got to see my Bahamian family, something we'd all been anticipating would happen for years. I felt indescribable in the hours that flew by, my heart feeling completely full, and our connection blossoming. I feel proud to know these people; they are beautiful, loyal, honest, and real. As Giveson said about the meal my step-mum cooked for everyone, the experience felt 'healing'.

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Additionally, I’ve always had a wonderfully easy relationship with my step-mum; since the moment she knew me, she has supported me so much and welcomed me into her home and life. In the years of silence I’ve had with my dad, I would often get notifications on my blog app saying that I had a site visitor from Nassau, Bahamas. I honestly always assumed it was my dad who was reading the posts about him, checking on the status of my illness, or simply keeping up to date with me. But when I asked him just yesterday if he’d read many of my blogs, she’d said he hadn’t. When my step-mum mentioned my latest blog post, I said to her that I didn’t know she’d read it, and she replied by saying she’d read all my blog posts for years. In that moment, I felt truly touched. I felt very lucky and honoured to have her because, with my dad and I falling out, there was really no reason for her to know me anymore or even to want to have anything to do with me. But even after all of these years, she’d found a way to keep me in her life. Honestly,  she didn’t just feel like family when she told me that; she felt, also, like a friend. She said it so delicately, as though, of course, that is something she would’ve done. What a gracious woman, I thought… what an incredibly gracious woman indeed.

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Summer is all around. The sun's rays are shining into all areas of my holiday. The warmth is absolute. The divinity of reminiscing about memories made here is incomparable. My Beautiful Summer In Winter, oh how I adore you.

Kisses,

COS x