summer in loa

this is the first summer in my entire life that i will not go home. 

so i've been getting a bit sentimental as of late.
summers in loa....
oh summers in loa.

evening fishing.
canal tubing.
high dive jumping.
mallow roasting.
nightly orchestra of sprinklers.
fresh cut grass smell.
back porch sunset watching.
grandparent chatting.
fresh vegetable dirt removing.
crawdad hunting.
spotlight ball playing.
trampoline sleeping out under the stars.

all my fondest memories.
when i was a kid i lived for summer.
i stayed at the pool so long they kicked me out.
basketball was second to no activity.
watermelon was manna.
it seemed adventure existed nowhere but my backyard.
and i had every dream activity at my fingertips.

every time i go back to loa during the summer i get those same feelings.
it's like christmas but for a whole season.
so missing christmas for, what 91, days straight- it softens a girls heart.
i won't complain about my alternative summer-
but complaining and being lonesome for something are different right?

right now i'm lonesome for summer in loa.
a loneliness in which there's no real cure-
sure there's attention distracting, replacement attempts, and a lot of incredible experience in place of loa summer;
but i'll always remember this year as my first year without my loa summer.

i love summer.
no matter where it is-
but loa will always be my number one;
it's where i first saw summer in all it's glory.  

a glorious summer to you. whether you're here, or there, or everywhere.