summer's sweet and simple pleasures ~ 16

~ Summer is the season in life ....

... when even the best and most exquisite sunsets can take away all of our cares, and when the toughest and the roughest of days for experiencing feelings of "sunny and happy", just aren't honestly present in our days beforehand.

And we all have those times, don't we?

I know we all have those days.

The perfect sunsets evoke some of the greatest prayer times for me, and there are memories made in the most gorgeous of silhouettes against the explosion of color down in the earth's horizon before us.

Three of ours plus a friend

There are....

I promise you - there are.

This night while grabbing the last of the day on the water's edge, I watched the sporty child's play going on about me.

• I saw a football careening and flying about.

• I heard giggles.

• I felt the thud of wild footprints pounding about me, near me, ever close to me.

• I knew attempts were being made to pass, to catch and to count points for every successful attempt.

• I saw my husband watching.

• I felt him yearning to participate.

• I knew he was feeling hesitant to do so.

• Fearful of possible breathing issues taking control if made an attempt to join in the fun.

And then, he was up, walking along the water's edge, with the sun setting behind in the distance.


And he was brave enough to ask that the football be passed to him.


Smiles glowed even in that sunset, many smiles.


Taking turns, all were passing and playing catch.


He was catching, and throwing.



And then, he'd had enough.

He jokes about only being able to catch and throw about three times before he was utterly exhausted from the exertion.



And then, triumphantly, he sat again and watched the last of the sunset, happy to be a part of the fun about him.

Everyone loved his participation and thought he was a great sport.

And when he looked my way, we both smiled, and then reached for each other's hand, while sitting once again - side by side, in our perfect seats to the remaining sunset before us, saluting like we know how, those final bits of memory making this day.

Pondering, we both thought of the sunset blessings drifting about in our minds while that sun continued to dip and lower to fill our evening with darkness.

Day was done.

Hearts were happy, a memory was made, and thanksgiving offered for a very simple delight attained on that water's edge.

Everything gets better when one sits at the water's edge. Yes, everything seems so much better there.