living beside the chattahoochee river is one of the unexpected perks of life in georgia + one of the first features that made us feel at home after moving from the palmetto state. being raised in + along the atlantic ocean developed a bond that courses through my veins to this day. i have often heard the notion, that we as humans feel an attachment to the bodies of water we encounter throughout our lives due to over half of our physical composition being composed of water. certainly too, we were created by the same maker, so it should be no surprise that we are time + time again, drawn to the water.
some mornings when the temperatures are just right, we drive over the chattahoochee + catch a glimpse of the fog still lifting. it gives me such a sense of wonder that something deep down wants to jump out + chase after it, barefoot. this week, after delivering the girls to their morning ballet lesson, i found my car leading me straight down to a favorite park. the river runs there beside it + on days when the water is rushing, the calming sound greets my ears before i can begin to see any water, so the anticipation builds with every step. this was an especially beautiful morning, with rain remaining on most every plant + hardscape on my short walk to the river. everything seemed so fresh, happy + content. summer is a such a beautiful, lush season, isn’t it? there’s a happiness in every shade of green filling up just about every plant the eye can see.
once i arrived to the river’s edge, i noticed i was observing every detail… the shape of fallen leaves lying on the stone steps, the gravel crunching beneath my shoes, the gorgeous natural hardwoods that have grown to form a wonderful canopy above, the geese quietly riding the current over the shoals like rubber ducks in a bathtub + somehow even a kind of unheard “sound” coming from the fog. there was a serene view to take in, which included a fly fisherman, children feeding ducks + a woman quietly reading a book– what a spot to embrace the morning!
how i love to find myself enjoying places like these, sometimes unexpectedly, as if my mind knew where my heart needed to go to find rest. it’s similar to the experience i get once i walk out onto my front porch at home with a fresh-brewed cup of coffee in hand. with each step past the door’s threshold, i’m noticing everything from the morning sun’s harsh angles + shadows, the gradual sounds of everyone waking up, neighbors on the move, the birds singing, a flag flapping in the breeze, joggers + dogs taking their people for walks.
you don’t have to have a traditional porch at your dwelling to enjoy a peaceful porch view; it can often be found in nature.
where can you go around your neighborhood or places you frequent to greet the day?
porches + pillowfights 