I was lucky enough to grow up in a town with a lot of boats. I learned to sail long before I learned to drive (and I greatly prefer sailing to driving, even now!). I sailed every summer for ages, and then stopped for a while due to the logistics of mothering little kids.

This summer, since I’m living in my hometown with my parents, I have been able to go back out on the boat. Sadly, due to weather, I’ve only been able to sail once, but Oh! How wonderful! It felt like all the worries and anxieties I had were blown out of my mind with the breeze. We filled the sails, sailed past the island where the girls go to camp, and just enjoyed the day.

This past Saturday I was able to go out on the boat just to be on the water and enjoy the gorgeous sea breezes. We relaxed, enjoyed the gentle rocking of the boat, and then after it got very hot it was time to jump in off the side (tip: take your glasses off BEFORE going in the water! I barely managed to rescue mine). The water was much warmer than I expected, but still much chillier than the pools!

As I spend time with people who have never been on a private boat, nor swam in the ocean, I realize how special my childhood was. Which makes me so glad the girls are able to have some of those same benefits. Plus, shouldn’t we all have days where we can honestly smile this big? Everyone has something that makes them very happy, and I’m treasuring all the days I have around boats!