The Best Kinda Tired

There's the kind of tired that you feel from working too much. The kind that grabs hold of you during a midafternoon slump when your coffee has worn off. The one that you experience after you eat too much. Or a couple hours after a particularly good workout. The kind of exhaustion you feel after you've had too many thoughts, or didn't sleep well last night, or pushed yourself for too long without a break.

Then there's the kind of tired I am tonight. The kind that involves a blazing hot sun beaming down through a clear sky. Music, laughter, and friends old and new. The wind carrying the sweet smell of bbq with dogs grinning and people connecting and hearts dancing. Being swished up and down and around by the gentle rocking of the boats' wake, embracing my squealing, laughing, innocent boy who chooses moments, specific in his mind, to stop what he's doing, put his hands on my face and pull me in for a kiss. Throw his arms around my neck and hug me tight, telling me thank you for this wonderful day. We give and accept love. This is how it works.

I am grateful for my freedom. Our freedom.

And I close my eyes, with a smile on my face, feeling blissful and content and full.