Angela Philipps, Contributor

Oh that wonderful sensation of a summer romance! One can't deny that those little secret rendezvous we had as young teenagers were the best. I remember going on beach holidays with my family and meeting boys my age. The feelings of having those 'butterflies' in my tummy when I was between the age of 13 and 16 were among the best I have ever experienced.

Not to say that my present encounters aren't even better. But you'll never recapture puppy love later on in life, and every minute of it should be enjoyed. There is something particularly special about the innocence of the early teens, and the thrill of meeting someone you fancy during your vacation.

There was one boy whom I had a crush on for years. Every summer my parents would take a group of us down to this house on the sea and he'd be there. My friends and I camped out on the beach some nights and he joined us. He was always so kind and attentive with me, but nothing ever happened. Not a peck on the lips, not a moment of hand-holding, nothing.

Exciting and frustrating

It was exciting and frustrating all at the same time, because I was convinced he fancied me as well, even though he didn't do anything about it. We'd go swimming at midnight, and afterwards warm up by the fire we'd built. We cooked scrambled eggs over the flames, sat in the sand and chatted all night long. Eventually we'd doze off and waken as the sun was rising. It was perfect.

Did I ever tell this little lad how much I liked him? No, I don't think I ever did spill the beans. I should do it now though. It was very long ago and I still know him fairly well. I am curious to find out if he felt the same way as I did. It'd be kind of sweet to discover that during all those years our sentiments were mutual, but we were too shy to admit it to each other. I believe my 'love' for him stopped sometime in my mid-teens, but the memories shall last forever.

Lusty longings

So how is this relevant to present day? Well some of us still have these lusty longings when we go away on a holiday. These breaks from work might not last two months, but we don't really need more than a couple hours' worth of conversation with a 'hottie' to start up some form of a fairy tale in our minds. Think about it ... away from home, far from anyone we know, lots of passion in the air ... and to top it off, we're grown-ups! As long as we're sensible about using contraception, and we're confident that we can handle the situation on a psychological level (i.e., please don't fool yourself by thinking it's going to last!), then why not go for it. What have we got to lose? If anything, we have a 'memory' to gain.

What about those of you who have kids who are coming of age, and are worried about their getting involved with the opposite sex?

Children are 'force ripe' these days - certainly much more so than we were. Should you be concerned and careful about what you allow your offspring to do without adult supervision? The answer is yes, but don't be overprotective because this might cause a rebellion and, in turn, lead to more trouble. Talk to your sons and daughters about the changing and development of hormones et cetera. Let them know the consequences of sexual activity at an early age and make sure that they are comfortable with being open and honest with you every step of the way. If you disapprove of them having a boyfriend or a girlfriend, then they might hide it all from you. Try not to forget that you went through a similar thing when you were younger. Let your teenagers have their 'goose-pimply' incidents, and just be there to guide them. Surely, we cannot deny the next generation this 'rite of passage'?

angelaphilippsja@hotmail.com