I was born and raised in the coastal town of Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The white sandy beaches stretched for miles with intermittent sections of rugged rocky outcrops. I have fond childhood memories of fun-filled summer vacations at the beach and of idyllic days of sun, sand, and sweet watermelon.

After a 12 year career with a national security company as Regional Sales Manager, I became a stay-at-home mom when our daughter Jamie-Lee was b...