Thoughts from the beach…

I have the privilege to burn through the dog days of summer with my kiddos at the beaches in Charleston. (As long as it’s not the weekend), we can pop over a bridge and be in paradise in about 20 minutes. I often remind my kids that they are ruined and spoiled… that people drop lots of money on plane tickets and renting houses to do something we get to do on a whim. When they have the audacity to complain while we are getting ready, I have to take some serious deep breaths so I don’t explode… How could they take this beautiful place for granted??? I didn’t even lay eyes on the ocean until I was 18 year old!

Sure enough, once we lug all of our gear to the coast, the sweaty whining small beings flip a switch, and all is well. Complaining turns to giggling, catching waves, and soaking in the sunshine.

It is tempting to rub it in my kid’s faces about how right I was, that it was worth it to endure the heat, and that the beach is always better… but then I catch myself… How often am I guilty of acting JUST like them.

Where have I gone blind to my blessings, bogged down by sweat and struggle, tempted to lose faith that it is all worth it?

Oof.

So today, I’m setting my mind on the things I get to be grateful for in my life… and including the things that feel heavy. The waves will come and go, and each one of them is worth it.