Sitting around the table at taco night, my friend's husband reassured me, "You are not high maintenance because you miss Target or a
There will be a day in the near future, I will take a final shower and I will eventually wash away the very last grain of sand. Eventually, my clothes and belongings will not smell of the ocean and my hair will hold a curl. (Okay, that's debatable!)
In the middle of the pristine Caribbean waters, I have grown to love simplistic living. I love the ease of relationships, the carefree lifestyle, and the ability to slip flip flops on 365 days a year. I've, also, roughed up my edges while living like I'm gl-amping. Get this, bugs don't completely creep me out, anymore.
My mood reflects the sun, which is bright, cheery, happy, and shinning most of the time. I am a huge and forever fan of a continuous summer. I may miss textures and layers in my wardrobe, but my around the calendar bronzed skin looks so good that I can do without.
While I am driving more than I would like, living on a small island, it only takes me about fifteen to twenty minutes to get pretty much anywhere I need to go. Arriving at any location, I'm bound to spot at least a handful of people I know. At first this was an adjustment, but now, I can't imagine feeling lost in a crowd of strangers. Because, even strangers feel like friends here. Bumping into friend is a plus for my kids. They play freely wherever we are. It is carefree and easy.
The perfectly calm and stunning Caribbean beaches have damaged me for life. From now on, I may just be a beach snob. My toddler, too, who thinks it would be crazy to swim in water you can seen to the bottom in.
Island living, to me, is more than limited climate control, muggy mornings, fighting rodents and bugs, and constantly ridding sand from everything. It is living a full, active, joy filled, appreciative life along with a tight knit community of people looking to do the same. I could see a forever life in the islands. And, it would be filled with love, hope, joy, peace, and perseverance.
But, when I boil down my experiences, interests, personality, and life goals I realize, I am not an island girl.
While I realized I am not an island girl, I can also recognize I am no longer completely any kind of girl. While I love this life we have created on an island, I can wait to see where life brings us next, to the next adventure and the next adjustment. Places that will help mold us into better people, because, with each of our moves I see just that. We learn and grow. We give and receive. We love and let go.
I'm just a girl who loves to wander.
photo by Savanah Loftus Photography
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