Why see the world?

I said I was going to be consistent with the blogs but life been life'n lately but that shouldn't be an excuse. Let's get into it though!

It's July 6th and I just got my a/c fixed on my car the other day. My a/c went out during the winter and I figured "I can wait and roll the windows and the sunroof down. I'll be straight." Never, EVER again will I wait that long. But aside from me being swagless, I would say first half of the summer has been productive. Day job going as good as it can be, working on music, I'm reading more and been getting my steps and workout in. The first half of the summer has been eventful also especially in terms of sports with the New York Knicks winning their first championship since 1973. Man, the energy throughout the city has been nothing like it since I've been alive. Felt like a fever dream. On top of that, the World Cup in the states has been amazing. I wouldn't say I'm a football guy but seeing all the people pop out for their respective countries, showing their pride, being proud, energetic, and supportive of their country has been beautiful to see. That's the great thing about sports, bringing people from all walks of life together to party, celebrate and cheer.

It had me thinking about what my summers used to look like growing up. Whether it was going to amusement parks or water parks, to summer camps at Kips Bay on Randall ave or summer camp in Bronxdale, to working my first summer youth job at a Nursing home on Zerega ave, running to get an ice-e on the corner with the cash I would ask my mom for (coco-cherry-mango usually), to running around to any party or cookout I was invited to knowing I'd rather be home but would always have the fear of missing out so I'd go, to now. Almost about to be 30 (yikes) with not the same energy for certain activities but still stepping out when my friends plan something cause I'm not much of a planner. My elders were right about one thing. "Slow down with trying to grow up fast" or something like that.

I'm bringing this up and writing this because this past weekend my mom and little sisters came to visit me and we spent time at the beach. The one thing about summers that I will always have the energy for and never get tired of. This time around I have a different level of appreciation for the beach, I don't know, it brings me pure bliss. I don't think I could ever live somewhere that didn't have a beach. Something about that first time you take your slides off. Well for me, take my socks then slides off to dig my feet into the sand. If it's not too hot of course. The clear skies, families coming together to lounge and roast under the sun. The music, the laughter, the sandwiches with chips, the fruit, all the above.

At the beach, standing there waist deep in the water, I was just staring at the horizon like I was in a movie. All I could think was "Damn, this world is beautiful." Regardless of the inevitable pain, sadness and hardship we may go through and will go through, I believe there is more good, love and happiness that can outweigh that. That line in "Sweet Life" by Frank Ocean, "Don't know why see the world, when you got the beach" is one of those profound lines that I wish I would've came up with. The beach for me is where I can step away from my own thoughts and situation I'm in and just let go for a while. Appreciate the present, enjoy the quality times with loved ones or myself to decompress. The beach provides a sense of freedom, a feeling that sometimes feels out of body. At the beach, I feel like I'm everywhere I want to be. I hope everyone can find that when they're at the beach or find something or somewhere you can go where you can step away from the crazy reality, crazy world we live in for a moment to reset. It's truly a privilege to be alive.

Very long winded blog but I also want to bring back long form content because I know everyone attention span might be cooked. Let me not speak for everyone but definitely for me. Thank you for tapping in again with me if you got this far. Be safe, stay hydrated, pick up your phone not to post or scroll but to call some family and friends to link up this summer. Touch some grass, move your body and throw something on the grill! Love y'all.

PS: Peep the timer on my homepage if you haven't already. Stay tuned!