From August 3rd through the 17th I lived the good life. Sweet, sweet southern California. San Clemente, California to be exact. I went with my worship pastor, whose family I am very close to and another couple who go to our church as well. The trip was fantastic, just what I needed. We had a few mishaps with illness and such but we pushed through.
Like I said, that trip was…fantastic. But there was one evening that will stay with me for a while. I get butterflies thinking about it. I smile every time anyone asks me the highlight of my trip.
It was the night I saw my first beach sunset.
My friend Sierra (in her blue-haired glory to the left) is one of the most amazing people I have known to this date. She’s inspired me to be strong and awesome and still be me at the same time. I consider her a best friend…So one day we spent the day together before her father and her went on 
a swim that was going to take about an hour. Well, finally I decided to wait so we could eat after on the pier.
So they went out to swim and I walked up and down the beach, barefoot and camera in hand, taking pictures of random things and letting the waves crash against my feet.
Finally 7:30 rolled around and I ended up under the pier and the sight I saw nearly pushed me to tears. Suddenly all the anxiety I had brought with me from home vanished. There were no thoughts of loneliness or college or of love. There was only me and I was fine with that.
I stared at the sun, with the surfers in it’s shadow, and me at it’s very edge. 
Words cannot describe how I felt at that moment. It was one of my rare pure bliss moments where I forgot about all my problems and simply smiled happily at it, taking a sigh of relief and thanking God for creating something so amazing.
I wish I could live that moment everyday before I leave my house. So that when something bad happens I can remember that God still creates beautiful California sunsets.
Love,
Kelsie