I challenged us: a weekend with minimal screens, maximum presence. We left tablets and laptops inside, brought just essentials, and committed to living by sun, tides, and appetite.
We cooked camp stew in a Dutch oven (meat, beans, veggies, broth), made morning coffee over coals, walked barefoot to the bay, collected shells, played cards. We skipped social media, let our minds quiet.
One evening, after dinner, we went to the playground near the clubhouse. Kids squealed, the grill’s light glowed, and neighbors sat around in folding chairs talking like old friends.
The surprise: when I rechecked email Sunday night, I felt refreshed—less anxious, more open. In the gentle hush of Aransas Oaks, I rediscovered the art of slow, intentional living.