A HISTORIC 4TH
We left Orlando and headed north. By this point, we had been traveling without the kids for a complete week. We still had several university campuses and cities on our agenda, but for the next few days, we would take a hiatus from that to enjoy the 4th of July holiday in the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina. Daniel and I were excited to visit a new state that neither of us had been to before, as well as just hang out with some of our Young Living team. With such a big decision looming over us, it was a fantastic break from the constant focus and future consideration.
We passed the city and crossed over the bridge to the Isle of Palms, where our friends live. I felt giddy with excitement to experience the 4th in such a quaint town. Plans were made to participate in the bike and the golf cart parades. Just the thought of it brought back warm memories of how I spent many Independence Days in my childhood – with friends, on the lake, enjoying small town parades and celebrations.
The sheer exhaustion – physical, emotional, and mental – caught up with me and I overslept on the 4th. I woke up disappointed that I had missed all the parades, and even more-so that I had perhaps caused others to miss out, but soon realized it had rained quite hard and everyone decided to skip it. The day was redeemed when the sky cleared and we spent the afternoon on the beach and around the swimming pool, with enjoyable conversations, good food, and new friends. Daniel even tried his hand at surfing and managed to stand up – at least for a second before falling. I don’t swim in the ocean because I’m scared of sharks. Yes, I know this might seem far-fetched, but had you watched Jaws in 3D at the young age of 7 (thanks, Dad), you might feel the same way. However, it struck me that I had never stepped foot on the beaches of the US Atlantic Ocean. Having lived in The Gambia, West Africa, I’d experienced the Atlantic from that perspective, but this “first” was worthy of overcoming my fears enough to at least soak my feet in it. The glorious fireworks, enjoyed beach side, drew a close to a wonderfully restful and enjoyable day.
The morning after the celebrations, we intentionally planned a beach sweep to pick up trash with other Young Living team members. Some of our local Charleston team showed their desire to be good stewards of the earth by serving the community in this way. Afterward, we gathered for some team socializing over brunch. Daniel and I enjoyed getting the opportunity to meet and hang out with several team members for the first time. We even were able to get a fabulous adjustment by a chiropractor on our team before we headed off toward our next destination – something we both so desperately needed. Our bags and swagger wagon were packed up and we were ready to roll.
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