How To Count Down To Summer

Count how many more hours of daylight there are and count how long it takes to drive to the beach. Count back to your first memory of a severe sunburn. Fourteen, and feeling embarrassed about your skin peeling. 

Count how much a pedicure will cost and then decide to do it yourself. And count how many long weekends you have between now and September. 

Count back to the summer you didn’t work, when your look was a skinny sun tan and pastel shorts and margarita salt. Hiking 3 miles a day and laying out in the park listening to Jillian Michael’s Podcasts. Replace the gloves in your purse for sunglasses. 

Count how many years until you’re 30. 

Count how many patio bars have fire pits and string lights. Live music and handsome bartenders. 

Count on being healthier this year and spending your time more wisely and making promises to yourself. 

Count back one year to when the air conditioning went out in your car and you felt cranky and sticky. You felt claustrophobic. You fell out of love. 

Keep counting. 

Count how many beers you drank while playing “Power Hour” and how much watermelon you ate. Count how many tank tops you bought from Forever 21 and never wore. 

Count backward to when you positioned the fan just right and watched 10 hours of Breaking Bad on the living room floor wearing only a t-shirt and bikini bottoms. 

Count how many guys took you on a first date to that restaurant.

Count the steps on your Health app. Treat it like a video game and don’t stop steppin’ until it’s time for bed. 

Count forward to the trips you have planned and the body you have planned and the money you plan to make. Count the people you’ll meet and the jokes you’ll tell. Count cheeks you’ll kiss. 

Count on yourself and count on the people who love you. 

Count on iced coffee. 

Count on Dairy Queen. 

Countdown to summer.