Personal

Beach Hopping

Last week, Ben and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit both of our families at the beach…although not the same beach. My family (and my best friends’ parents who also happen to be my second parents) stayed in the Outer Banks, the first time I’ve been back since I was 14 and had a super huge teenage girl crush on the boy who taught me to boogie board, which is still far and away my favorite thing to do at the beach. Boogie boarding, I mean, not crushing on teenage boys.

After a few days of R&R, which in this case was reading and relaxation, we came back to Maryland to spend the weekend in Ocean City with Ben’s family. Although the water was too rough, and the weather slightly too chilly for beaching – which I’m not complaining about because this may have been the most pleasant summer I can remember – we still took a walk along the board walk. Every time I go, I appreciate that place more and more…it has a tacky charm that brings me joy, and it is certainly cheerfully colorful, even if I make fun of the new sayings that appear each year on the t-shirts that line the wooden walk. You could definitely track the trends of each year in a museum of trashy beach t-shirts…which might actually be a fun project.

On the whole, taking a week of true vacation was so welcome and refreshing…I started a new mental/spiritual/physical practice along the way that seems to be providing daily inspiration and is such a change from the burnout that was creeping in before our time away. I read some amazing books that I hope will lead to some fun changes in various areas of life…and I found a love for podcasts that are perfect for when I need to take a break and go on a walk. And although I brought along film cameras, I took a few pictures with my iPhone, just for fun, of the beauty that surrounded us while we were away.