There is this small island I go to in Maine every year in the summer. There is a certain vibe the island gives off that makes me feel serene. The red, white, and blue ferry is the only way of getting there.
There is no cable. During the day you can hear people laughing on their boats because the sound of their happiness is traveling faster on the water. Watching the different colored sailboats go by and guessing the people's life stories on them. The feeling of pure bliss as I lay on the hammock and read a book in the middle of the afternoon.
Jumping off the 8-foot pier, plunging into the frigid Maine water. Hanging out on the beach building sandcastles we know won't be there the next day because the tide takes them away. Finding hermit crabs in the water and trying to build an army of them but it not working out because they always end up escaping. Getting tangled in seaweed. Picking blackberries. Enjoying some ice cream at the boatyard after a long day of doing absolutely nothing but living in the moment. Driving around in the 2003 red Subaru outback blasting the music so the whole island can hear us.
Not caring what anyone thinks because this is our time. The yellow inn at the top of the hill that I hope to get married at one day. Biking to the local market that says they sell film but they don't, revealing how long they have been open. Stopping on the way back in front of the house that burnt down years ago and fell apart. Being able to look inside and see that a little girl used to live in one of those rooms.
Going to the beach right before the sunset to look for sea glass then sprinting back to make it in time. Plopping down in the chairs on the front porch and watching the sky changes colors. The whole room turns a crisp gold for a couple minutes just before the sun disappears in the horizon. The way the sun reflects off the water making it look like a thousand crystals. Priceless.
Feeling at peace to the smell of dinner being cooked while the room is illuminated. Then the bloodsuckers come out. Staying up late in the bunkhouse watching scary movies and having trouble falling asleep because the woods are inches away. Waking up to the sound of the birds chirping and the smell of the fresh dew in the crisp morning.
Rainy days are the best. You can stay in bed all day and still feel accomplished. Nothing can beat the happiness I feel when I am on this island. I feel invincible and that nothing could ever change that. Leaving is always hard, it feels like apart of me will always be there but I know when I return everything will be just as it was when I left. This island is my home away from home that helps me escape reality.