Lake Jocassee with the Boys

For birthdays, I love to give experience gifts.

And for some time now, it’s been a bit of a tradition for the birthday boy or girl to receive an envelope and inside that envelope they will find instructions or tickets or an invitation to a future date with me.

This past spring, the boys each received their birthday dates. One for a guided boat tour of Lake Jocassee.  (I had found a great buy one, get one free deal.) One for a day spent out of doors together hiking or fishing.

Unfortunately, the boat tour company called and canceled their tour. And through shared conversation, the two boys decided they would happily combine their days if we could rent kayaks and spend the day fishing and boating on Lake Jocassee.

It was a win for all of us I think, but it seemed to be a challenge this summer to find a day that suited our family for such an excursion.  This summer it seemed that every day had at least one of us going in a different direction and we could not coordinate the kayak adventure.

Finally – here in August – a day arrived that worked.

And, honestly, it couldn’t have been a better choice.

The weather was wildly agreeable for spending a day on the water. Warm. Comfortable. But not burning hot sun. A light breeze for all of us. Really perfect.

We packed our lunches in a dry bag, pushed the kayaks into the water, and set out for a four hour tour.

I don’t have a lot of words to write about this.

Just that it was a very very good day with some of my most favorite humans ever.

They’re such sweet fellas. They can talk about fish and animals and novels and bizarre facts and who knows what else all day long. They are grateful boys who say thank you often and they’re happy to go with the flow.

We explored coves and banks, stopped at rock outcroppings and just paddled around to our heart’s content.

They take me as I am – flaws and all.  They invite me into their lives and their experiences and their hearts. They accept me without hesitation.

We couldn’t stop talking about how great the day was, even while we were living it.

That crystal clear water. Bath temperature and endlessly inviting. The mountains back dropping the whole lake. The perfect temperature. The sun shining. 

If only all days could be this simply sweet and life-giving.

For all the hard that is and has been and will be, it was grace to spend a day like that with my sons.

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