Last Days of Summer

As we roll into Labor Day weekend I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on this past Summer. After years of fighting battles internally, I found a freedom I’ve never experienced before. I took my second solo trip to Florida stopping along the way in historic Vicksburg, MS then onto Mobile, AL, and landed in the Emerald Bay in Florida. Meeting up with a friend I haven’t seen in twenty years was just one highlight of this magical season. Summer is the season of living outdoors, of dipping your feet into the sea and laying on the beach listening to the humming of the ocean. It’s a time for lots of SPF, sunshine, and hydration. The season for really living life to its fullest and being as carefree as possible. Road tripping from beach to beach and walks at sunset make this season unlike any other. What was your summer like? Did you find a way to get out of your home? Did you make it to the beach? Did you watch the sunset on the horizon late into the evening while cicadas sang in the background? Here are a few of my favorite memories from my week in Florida.

No Rain No Rainbows

Over the past week, I took myself on a little journey across the South. I decided to start in Mississippi and travel down to the Florida coast and then back through New Orleans making a loop home. When I arrived at the coast I immediately encountered a series of thunderstorms. It definitely was a challenge for me to photograph and spend time at the beach due to intermittent raining and required an immense amount of flexibility in my day. I am a planner but you can’t always plan everything. Life is dynamic. In fact, some would say that life is constantly changing and nothing remains the same. I’ve found the thunderstorms bring the prettiest sunsets and rainbows. I think that’s true for life, too. There’s no such thing as only experiencing “good.” You have to have the lows for growth and to appreciate the highs. Without rain there is no rainbow.