I have a group of amazing friends who've been hosting a canoe trip every year for the past 40 years.
And I've been lucky enough to have been on probably 15 of them.
It's a fun weekend of camping, canoeing, partying (sometimes just a little too hard!) and making memories.
And the weather is often unpredictable.
I've been on the trip when it's cold and rainy, once even during a tornado warning!
I've been with them when it's been scorching hot.
I've tipped in my canoe more than a few times. And at least one shoe and several pairs of sunglasses have been claimed by the current.
But this year, the weather was absolutely perfect.
The sun was out but so was the breeze. The water was calm.
Not a single canoe tipped. There wasn't even one scary moment.
Just laughter, hugs and lots of fun stories told at our stops along the river.
More than a few times I sat back in my canoe, closed my eyes and thanked the universe for bringing these people into my life. And for the opportunity to be part of this tradition.
We don't always get nice days like that in life.
When we do, we need to store those moments in our memory bank.
Build up our reserves for when the storms come through and the water is choppy.
Think about the moments in your own life when the water was calm and the temperature perfect.
Do they make you smile?
Give you hope?
Help you feel peaceful?
Good.
Think about them more often then.
Remember the sunshine and the calm waters. The smiles and the laughter. The hugs and the stories.
That's what carries us through.
Stormy days will come. And they will pass.
But we'll grow stronger because of them.
I'm so grateful for these amazing friendships and for another weekend to store in my memory bank and make me smile.
What are you grateful for today?
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