Monday, August 22, 2011

taking the time

:: time for exploring::





:: time for sunsets on the shore::




:: time to set up camp::




:: time for playing at the beach ::




:: time for finding the sweetness of the season::




:: time for enjoying summer to the very last drop ::




I've said it before about the beach we visit each year, but I do love to see how the children carry the memory of this place with them. There is so much familiarity to it now... the landmarks on the journey they excitedly recognize, the favorite camping ground under the oaks with the creek running behind, the old dog at the orchard who greets them a bit more slowly each year. Together, these moments help round out a summer, and fill the reserves for winter to come (for surely, there will be a cold, dark day in the months ahead that is brightened by the thought of this piece of summer and the prospect of its return).

We marvel, too, at the healing power of watching them play at the shore. Just a few minutes of seeing their joy, and all the stress of the journey is washed away, all the effort is entirely, unquestionably worth it. The trip isn't always easy (let's not talk about closed campgrounds or setting up tents in the mosquito-filled darkness of post-midnight Michigan). But none of that matters once we're on the sand and in the waves.

All that matters is taking the time to be there.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love this! Great pictures and words. Makes me feel like I just came back from a trip to the beach myself.

Emily on the Prairie said...

You really take great pictures. I can't wait to do things like this with my children (ie have them old enough to remember it!)