—summer of grace
Days by the sea, leaning in and having the space to just be.
The summer of grace, how good it feels to be here by the sea.
Summer days are here, and the world just kind of stands still. No plans for the day ahead, just a lot of space to read, to breathe, to walk, to swim — to do whatever we please.
From long, gentle walks in the sand along the sea to the soft green grass beneath our feet — is there really anywhere else in the world better together we could be?
Hours pass, filled with joy and laugher as we play and lay on the grass.
Up above me I notice how the peppermint trees blow gently in the breeze, watching in awe as they lose their leaves as if like snow falling, from the trees.
It made me wonder about letting go — were these leaves sad to leave or happy they could finally be free?
Free to fly, free to leave, free to blow wildly with the breeze.
"A summer of grace with my boys by the sea — the most wonderful place I could ever be."
-SHARI INGLETON
Love showed up in the glimmers of the early morning sunlight streaming on our deck, coffee in hand just watching as my boys glistened in the delicious morning light.
Magic surrounded us often, moments where time just stood still, that were as if all the planets and stars had aligned, just to be here with you.
Friends who are our family came together and core memories and connection made. We soaked up our children, so many of them now and how much they have grown, what started with two of us being friends have expanded and grown into us all being here together by the sea — with you and right here and now, there really is no where else I would rather be.
Friendships that withstand the stretch of time, distance and life as it unfolds, challenges and changes us — the more we grow and the more we change, just like the waves of the ocean soften as they hit the shore, so our friendship does too.
Soaking up the moments, just as they are, surrounded by nature and the blue sky above. Is there anything that fills our hearts more than being with people that we truly cherish, adore and love?
Memories often flooded over me as I soaked it all in, tears of gratitude rolling down my cheeks as I remember so fondly all the years and time we have spent here. It has been the home to our hearts, our summers for the last nineteen years. How lucky we are to have spent so many weeks doing lots of just this.
I have had so many Summer’s of Grace, right here under the peppermint trees, so many wonderful, magical days right next to the sea.
I have seen all stages and ages of my boys here from being here pregnant, my boys as babies, toddlers and how, in just the blink of an eye, here they are as the most incredible, handsome and wonderful young men that they are.
Everything has changed, they have grown beyond belief and now as I look at them here, what a journey it has been, I wonder how did I get this lucky to share it with these three?
Footprints in the sand, these moments forever etched in my heart. Their footprints have grown so much bigger, so has my heart.
I will forever cherish these days by the sea, our hearts overflowing, time standing still for just a moment to be. So simple yet so profound, deeply grateful for all these summer memories made.
I often wonder how life would be if we didn’t get to recharge our energy, this most beautiful reset, this summer grace by the sea.
It is as if the heartbreaks, the challenges, the triumphs and the successes of the year that has passed, is given some space to decompress — it truly is amazing to feel that every hard thing and every great thing that happened throughout the year, gently softens here by the sea, taking up space forever more in our hearts the things we choose to keep. Anything that we don’t need anymore, we let them all go. Leaving the hard things, releasing them, somehow they just seem much easier now and gently we allow it all to just to be.
The year that once was, has now been washed away. We lean in and let our hearts be held, let our hearts be healed by the laughter and the time spent doing everything and nothing together. Somehow our hurts be hugged and made to feel okay, softer now, more gently we can say. Our energy has been reset and we are ready for a brand new, beautiful year ahead.
But before the grace of summer leaves us again, we soak up all that is upon us now. May it be what carries us through all the days that lie ahead, in this year when life feels unsure or unsteady, may we draw on this inner knowing that it too shall pass, another grace of summer awaits us again.
Just as sure as the seasons will change, so too will the summer days. They cannot last forever, but they will always be here, entwined and remember so deeply, so treasured here in my heart.
I hope you got to have some time with those you love most, in a place that means something special to you this summer. The summer days go oh so fast, it is though as if time slows down for just a little while. School is back, university will be soon too. Life just keeps on moving forward — just as it is meant to.
I will take the memories and the moments of this summer’s grace and call on them often, grateful for the time we shared, with so much excitement I already can’t wait until next summer’s grace. Until then, whenever I need to, I can close my eyes and take a big breath, somehow we are back there — by the sea, my boys and me.
May our year ahead be filled with so much grace, so much abundance and joy, love and wonderful memories made. Thanks for being here with me. I hope you can get to sea.
Life really is so much sweeter and better by the sea xxx
Wishing you so much love and summer grace today and always xx
