Summer Day

Today was a summer day. A typical, wonderful, beautiful summer day. It began this morning when I woke up around 8, really not wanting to get out of bed, thinking of the prospect of having absolutely nothing to do today. But I got up all the same. I'm amazed at how dedicated I've been this summer to getting up at a decent hour to exercise. And that is how I began my day. There is nothing more beautiful than walking down to the lake in my neighborhood and taking in the sun reflecting off the water and shining onto your face. There's nothing like feeling warmth slowly soaking into your skin, or feeling a neighbor's sprinkler hit you in the face. There's nothing like hearing slow laps of water against the soggy, muddy side of the lake. It's so beautiful. And honestly I'm thankful that I can begin the day like that. After getting my morning exercise, I wasted the rest of my morning on Facebook. Ah, such is summer. And the whole boring day stood looming before me. Until one of my best friends, Steven, texted me and my brother and asked us if we wanted to go out to lunch. And so off me and my brother went listening to Simon & Garfunkel, driving straight into a perfect and balmy day. We ate at our favorite pizza place - ricotta stuffed shells and garlic bread for me, thank you.
Then back to the house we went, Spencer still blasting Simon & Garfunkel for some unknown reason. Back at the house, my destiny loomed before me - cleaning baseboards in the hallway and bathroom, and doing geometry. A productive way to spend my afternoon, yes. A fun way, not quite. But I also knew I had a good thing to look forward to at the end of the afternoon. After scrubbing away at doors and baseboards for an hour and a half, I finished, did a lesson of geometry, and then I was off to Starbucks to hang out with Steven and Macy (my cousin). I got there about 15-30 minutes early, so I was delightfully lost in a book until Steven arrived, at which point we both grabbed and drink, and then proceeded to wait for Macy for 30 minutes until she finally got there, at which point we went to Barnes & Noble. Books galore. Banana chocolate smoothie that I can steal from Macy. Steven has to leave. Supper at 6:30. Macy and I hide in a corner and laugh over ridiculous things. Pavement is wet. Sky is gray. Run for the car.... the clouds are about to start crying over nothing. Chick-fil-a. Supper with Steven, Daniel, Drew, and their sissies Caroline and Elizabeth. <3 I love my buddies. They're the best. Chicken soup. Rain outside. Wet wet wet. Time to leave.
Back at home, I enjoyed spending my evening watching charlieissocoollike videos, and sitting out on the back porch with my mom eating an ice cream cone and watching the first fireflies of the year pop out and spark joy in my heart. Heard a train humming a tune a little while ago. A remorseful, nostalgic sort of hum. Now all I hear is the air conditioner quietly droning along with a chorus of crickets. I love crickets. They remind me of summer. Of camping. Of childhood. Of perfection. Of joy. Of an utter peace that I can't begin to express in the words of the English language. I love things that you can't express in words. They've got to be the best things.
Life is joyful.