Sunsets

I am not a summer person. At all. I would rather bundle up in a coat than sweat just walking to my car. Sweaters, blankets, boots, fireplaces, hot tea, chilly evenings…that is what I live for.

The beach is hot. There’s sand everywhere. Did I mention it’s hot? I don’t even usually like water all that much.

So why do I love going to the beach with my husband? He made a comment recently that maybe I go mostly to make him happy.

It’s true, I rarely went to the beach before I met my husband. For years, he and I took the kids there, and I helped build sand castles and watched them play in the water, and I took pictures we could enjoy later. My husband and I never took trips just for the two of us–we always planned them so the kids could go with us.

A few years ago, when we started planning a weekend trip, it was so odd knowing that it was going to be just us two, now that the kids are older. The idea of going to the beach came up, and it seemed like such a novel idea. What ever would we do with ourselves, without four kids to keep up with?

We figured it out pretty quickly. We practically ran from our room down to the beach, and soon we were floating blissfully in the water, the warmth of the sun kissing our shoulders and faces, a gentle breeze dancing across the water, and we were hooked. Jumping in the waves, laughing as the tide tries to carry me off, lazily drying off in beach chairs, listening to the waves, heading out to dinner later, exploring…I love all of it.

A weekend beach trip here and there has become something we look forward to every summer now. And my husband has it wrong: I don’t go simply to make him happy. I may not enjoy summer, or being hot, or sand getting everywhere, but when I am with him, it’s just different. It’s fun. It’s relaxing. It’s magical. Because he is with me, and it is our thing, our time together, something we love doing together.

We have another trip coming up soon, and I have already been exploring new places to check out next year. I like the idea of creating experiences, not just buying stuff. Building memories, seeing new places with each other, walking or driving around to see what is over there, what can we get into here?

Ending the day on the beach to watch the sunset has become our thing, too. No matter how many we have watched together, each one is still exciting and beautiful.

So sure, I will be thrilled when the temperature drops, when we need to stack firewood beside the fireplace, when I pull down sweaters from the top shelf of the closet, when the air is crisp and cool and energizing. But for now, if we absolutely have to endure summers, then I will just keep browsing beach websites, checking out hotels and resorts, and shopping for dresses to wear to dinner after our beach day. I will look forward to our next weekend getaway and enjoy all of the pictures from our last one.

For me, it isn’t just the beach itself that I love so much. It’s beautiful, sure, but it’s what it all makes me think of that makes me smile. I see waves and remember how much fun we have jumping in them. I hear those waves crash and feel the peace and tranquility of sitting beside him, chatting, dozing, so relaxed. I see sand and think of walking down the beach, holding hands, picking up shells, waiting for one more sunset.

We have so many memories at the beach now that I love it for one simple, powerful reason: because it’s a place I love sharing with him. I love our framed photos from our beach walks, knowing each one is a piece of our experiences together that no one else has. Just us. And I love the idea of collecting even more together: more memories, more smiles, more shells, more pictures, and always…more sunsets.