you're walking down your favorite beach and your kids are off picking seashells- they seize their moments of freedom with leaps and twirls as fireworks of sand burst around them.

You notice the light that fills their eyes as they flock back to you with their handpicked souvenirs.

You feel your eyes light up in return as your body drops to meet them,  suddenly feeling their sandy, little fingers in your palms, admiring the grooves and colors of their gifts as their excited little voices melodically fill your ears.

Your heads gravitate and you place a kiss on their cheeks; they know it's your way of saying, "thank you, I love them." as you all share in a single breeze as if it's meant just for you.

You tuck your gifts in safe-keeping as your littles escape off into the space around you, their silhouettes backlit with the dancing sun now kissing the horizon.

Your partner takes your hand and you're met with a gentle squeeze that tells everything you already know.

Nothing can take you away from this moment.

Imagine for a second,

In the lifetime we're given,
we can make time to live in it
rather than beside it.

In the lifetime we're given,
we can make time to live in it
rather than beside it.