“Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” Anthony J. D’Angelo

If you know anything about me, then you know this South Carolina gal loves to soak up the sun. If I wanted cooler temps then I would live up north, but I don’t. I live in South Carolina. It’s supposed to be warm, right? It comes as no shock every year when my 80+ degree weather fades away and I’m faced with layering my clothing. I know, I know. South Carolina can’t get that cold, can it? Sorta. Temps are fairly mild compared to other areas of the country. But, I still don’t like to be cold. So there’s that. That’s why I never fail to have a plan to get away for a couple of days to recharge my solar battery.

With the Thanksgiving Holiday approaching, I planned to have a few days off from work to travel somewhere sunny and relax, but I also knew I wanted to do something meaningful with my time. My department volunteers every month to serve lunch at Transitions Center here in Columbia, so I wanted to shake it up a bit and try a different experience for once. Meals on Wheels was the answer.

I contacted the local program in my area affiliated with Meals on Wheels and was signed up right away! We were able to choose whether we wanted to pack the food or deliver the packaged meals to a designated route. Since we had no particular time constraint, I simply asked that they place us at the location and in the position with the greatest need.

We arrived at the facility 30 minutes prior to our scheduled delivery route to go through a quick orientation process. Can we talk about a well oiled machine! The flow of how work is distributed and how everything is accounted for is flawless. Not to mention, the staff and other volunteers were friendly and grateful we were there to assist.

The day before Thanksgiving, we delivered hot and nutritional meals to 10 clients in the Columbia area. Some clients invited us in. Others only extended their hand just beyond the door frame. Some were  accompanied by family members; others were alone. Some were chatty; others were quiet, yet observant. One thing they all had in common was gratitude. Grateful that someone took time out of their day to serve them. And guess what? We did all of this in under 2 hours. Now, this is no race against time, but I’m stressing the importance of time because we oftentimes use that as a crutch and it deters us from giving just that…TIME. I look forward to the next time we can serve with Meals on Wheels.

After volunteering, we ate lunch, packed, and then made our way down to sunny Florida! Of course our route wouldn’t be complete without our usual pit stop. Savannah has topped so many lists as a “quick stay getaway”. To me, Savannah is one of my “energy charging stations”. There’s so much to love about that city. Theres so much beauty, charm…and pralines! We love pralines so much that we left with 3 pounds! After numerous visits there, I consider it a place that I’m familiar with, but still with so much more to explore. Nearby, in Pooler, GA, we also indulged in a little shopping at the outlets. We meandered so much that day that we didn’t get settled in Jacksonville until after midnight. Without a doubt, sleeping in that next morning was at the top of the agenda.

The next day consisted of a full day of nothing on Thanksgiving and it felt amazing! We ate a late breakfast, saw Creed II in the theater, and ate dinner. Go on. Ask me what I cooked? Nada. But, I ate A LOT. Torrential rain thwarted evening plans to hit the town with my cousin, but that just meant we could lounge around the house a little longer to to do what? You guessed it. Nothing.

Friday’s weather seemed like the polar opposite of  Thursday. The weather was absolutely gorgeous! I’m not sure what the actual temperature was, but all I knew was that the sun was shining and I could get away with a little off the shoulder top?!?! It’s the little things. It seemed as if I hadn’t felt the sunshine on my shoulders in FOREVER!

Later that day, we drove from Jacksonville, FL to my hometown of Georgetown, SC.  We passed the time by blasting tunes from Stevie Wonder (my personal fave), The Temptations, Earth, Wind & Fire and many more. After all, the best therapy comes in the form of long drives with people you love + good music. We spent quality time with our parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and our two 92 year old grandmothers *who hadn’t seen each other since our wedding in 2010*. Priceless. It was a true family affair.

The past week spent with family, volunteering, traveling, and simply having my face turned toward the sun has been transformative. These simple, yet vital things put so much joy in my heart. I could continue to blame my less than positive mood on the gloomy weather and the days seeming shorter, but some days you just have to create your own sunshine.

What inspires you? What gives you that little nudge to keep going? What’s your muse?