As soon as she had opened the door to the car and the mountain air flooded her nostrils, it all came flooding back. All the memories. Each and every day. The laughter. The tears. The late night meals. The songs around the campfires. The over abundance of love.
There was nothing like those days.
She could remember each visit beginning much like it had today. With the car pulling up to the cabin after winding through the tall trees, curving back and forth along the unpaved road that led up the side of the mountain - gravel grinding beneath the tires. For as far back as she could remember, there had never been a cloudy day upon their arrival. The sun had always been shining brightly - ready to greet them as her father turned off the engine.
From the moment her sandaled feet hit the gravel, sinking in ever-so-slighty, her mind was racing. She couldn't wait to rush into the cabin and dump out her suitcase. Claiming the bigger drawers as her own. Followed by a quick change into her bathing suit. Even inside the walls of the cabin, the air was hot and muggy, tugging at her skin, pleading her for some sort of relief. But she knew that would have to wait. It was always part of their tradition to unpack the car and sit down at the table in the main room and eat a lunch of cold cuts and chips - bought at the little convenience store at the base of the mountain. Even though they had been doing it for years - she couldn't wait for her mother to stroll out of the kitchen, with the large pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade - looking picturesque in the sunlight coming in through the window - condensation glistening on its exterior. From the moment she saw it, her taste buds began to tingle, mouth watering.
Once the dishes had been stacked in the sink and the leftover food put away, she would bound out of the cabin and down one of the paths that branched away from the property. As she ran, she could feel the perspiration building. Even though she was in the shade of the trees, the humidity continued to collect on her skin - mixing with the sweat that was beginning to flow to the surface. It didn't matter though, for soon she'd be able to escape it all - reaching salvation. She swore she could make it down the path with her eyes closed, having run it multiple times everyday for years. Knowing where every bump was. Every unearthed root. Every jutting rock. All memorized.
When she did finally reach the shore, she didn't even bother to slow down - only making sure the path ahead of her was clear. She'd run down into the crystal clear water, further and further in until she couldn't drive her legs against it any longer - finally diving in. There was nothing like feeling the sweat being stripped away from her skin and hearing the whoosh of the water as it surrounded her ears. She'd continue kicking, gliding against the rocky bottom until her lungs asked for air - at which point she'd break the surface with a triumphant gulp. And there she'd stay. Just floating in the water. Hiding from the sun. Diving beneath the surface whenever its rays focused on the top of her head for too long. She felt at home in the lake. More comfortable then when she was back in the cabin. Embraced by the water. As if she could fly. But off in the distance, the raft taunted her - the older kids lounging in the sun on top of it, giggling and pushing one another off. Since she had been coming here, she had never been able to make it out. Her legs had always become too tired or she became too scared that she could no longer touch the bottom, turning back before she could reach out and grab its ladder.
But this year was different. The years had passed. She had matured. Her swimming had improved. Her lungs were larger. Her muscles stronger. It had been quite some time since she had last been here. Long enough that she was able to meet the man of her dreams. Even start a family. It had only seemed right to share the wonder of this place with her children. Allow them to witness the purity of the outdoors. But more importantly, it was time for her to conquer the raft.
Even though her body had matured, she was caught off guard by how chilly the water was as she first stepped in - surprised at how she had managed to somehow just barrel in when she was younger. As she continued to wade in and the water embraced her hips, she couldn't help but smile. It felt as if she had never left. She felt light - like she could fly again.
There was no way she wasn't making it out there today.
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