Summer Nights

Sitting there by the campfire

Watching sparks flicker in the cool night air

These summer nights

Cool and refreshing

The stars in the sky shine

As they burn through the inky blackness 

The smell of fresh pine floats in the air

I wiggle my toes in the soft sand beneath my feet

The flame of the fire reflects off the water

Little kids with jars in their hands

Run around the beach

A shimmer in their eyes,

As they watch lightning bugs fly into their jars

And light up the glass

Familiar laughter floods my ears

As I sit back and watch

All of my family and friends laugh and smile with each other

Enjoying each other’s company and conversation

There’s something about summer

The heat and the sun beating against your skin

The smell of dew in the early mornings

The scent of the fresh cut grass your neighbor mows every Monday

Or smelling like chlorine from being in the pool all day

Something about the asphalt sizzling against your feet

From the late day thunderstorms

Visiting the library and checking out a stack full of new adventures

Those lazy days where you would just collapse on the couch

With a good book in hand to escape the heat

Something about those bike rides at the beach

Getting ice cream on the boardwalk

And never knowing what time of day it is

Or those nights you stayed up so late

In a tent in the back yard with your best friend

Sitting in camping chairs, watching fireworks on the fourth of July,

Twirling sparklers in your hands

Blasting music throughout the house and dancing

Because you don’t care who sees you, you’re just having fun

The sound of bright plastic flip-flops thwacking down the street

Chasing after the ice cream truck with your siblings

Going to the movies, our arms loaded with big buckets of popcorn

Attending concerts at the fair, screaming at the top of our lungs

Trying on everything in the store when shopping with your best friends because, why not

Dressing up like a cowgirl with your fancy new hat and boots

Watching horses race by you at the rodeo

Breathing in dirt as you continue to watch the fun

And listen to the country music

A little pride escaping, for your country gal side

Waking up early to watch the sunrise

Then spending hours in the garden with mom

Going hiking in the woods

Riding in kayaks and splashing each other

Watching the sunset from the front porch swing

And then laying out on the grass late at night to watch the stars

Those long days of driving to see friends hours away

Then running up to embrace them because oh how you’ve missed them

Goofing off under the basketball net trying to block each other’s shots

Tickling, and laughing and poking fun at each other

Between our goofy hand shakes and our silly nicknames

Wishing the moment could last forever

Nights of skipping through the parking lot, our arms linked together

And dancing and singing together, our smiles bursting with laughter

Laying out in an open field searching for constellations

Swimming, and playing games in the gym

Chasing each other down the sidewalks with cups full of water

Getting ourselves soaked

Sitting by the bonfire, our fingers all gooey from the s’mores

Our eyes full of tears as it comes time to part ways

With long summer days we’ve learned to love so dear

But we’re so full of happiness and so thankful for the memories

We can hardly wait for the next summer to arrive

There’s just something about summer

About fall being so close

Another year

Another Christmas

Another beginning

So much happens in one summer

Between all the early mornings and all the late nights

But everyone can pin point back to one summer

And think about the memories they made

The changes they went through

The challenges they grew through

It’s on those late summer nights you really think about it all

And take the time to appreciate

Every moment spent living

Whether it be spent laughing or crying

Those memories, wow

I thank God for my life

And summer nights like these,

You’ll never get them back

So enjoy every hour

Every minute

Every second

Don’t ever let a moment slip you by

Don’t ever forget the memories

_______

I know summer is practically over for most of us, but I really enjoyed writing this and I wanted to share it with you guys. :)