Windy Black Clouds

I'm sitting outside in my front yard, staring daringly at the storm clouds in the distance. My entire family is outside somewhere...we are that kind of family, I suppose. My mom is gardening and yelling across the road to the neighbors. Aaron is scrubbing car mats. Lacey and Gavin and their friends are "washing" the cars in our driveway. Jack is basking in the semi-sun, being lazy and dog-like. Moni is sitting next to me, chattering away on the phone.

It's beginning to feel like summertime in Huggiesville. I think summertime storms are my favorite. The wind is wicked and blowing my hair in every which direction. There is no order to the clouds, and the black keeps seeping toward the sunlight. It's amazing and mind-blowing and distracting and I love it.

Last night, I went to the drive-in for the first time this summer, and it brought back so many summer memories. We sat in the back of Tyler's truck, curled up in blankets and laughter. We reminisiced and ate food, and I was genuinely happy to be among my friends from home. Funny how I'm always surprised by and never let down by the great times. It was good to catch up. Summer is good for that kind of thing. Relaxing in the back of friends' trucks, and remembering high school times, and watching drive-in movies with everything one could possibly need within reaching distance.

I'm going to savor it and take everything with me when I'm away from the summer I've always been used to. When I'm in foreign lands and around strangers and possible uncomfortable situations, I will close my eyes and go back to my friends' smiles, their laughter, our inside jokes. There is a certain comfort in remembering, and whether we recognize it or not, it's something we always have at our disposal.

We remember. We forget. But mostly I remember what was, what is, what could have been, and I try to live my life accordingly. Summertime storms. Memories.