Already Home // Harry Styles

Running On Sunshine

31st June, Poland

3 days in Belgium, 5 days in Germany and we landed in Poland this morning.
It's been a dream. Relaxed, fun, contentment. People could easily say that we are just burying our little problems, and maybe we are. But it's working. We've decided to focus on the good instead of the bad and in turn it's left a space for joy.

Call me naive or uneducated or whatever but I had no idea Belgium had an array of gorgeous beaches.
That first full day we had, we decided to go to Westhoek nature reserve on the recommendation of one of the crew who had been there before. It's more of a walking place than a standard beach but that suited us just fine. 10km of sand dunes and several paths lined with thick heathland gorse, a kaleidoscope of sea lavender, wild thyme, evening primrose and pansy of the dunes.

The general consensus was that it was busy in the afternoons but mornings were quiet. It was exactly that, quiet and serene. One hour of walking through the dunes towards the water and we only saw one man walking his dog. It was weird really, it was summer, this was a beach and it all just ours. But I wasn't complaining, it was like the fates had given us a gift. Time to have fun without the stresses of crowds.

Now we weren't dressed for the beach per se. We were here for the 10k walk. We were in socks and trainers and proper clothes but I luckily did have the foresight to bring towels and some change of underwear and socks in our backpacks. Lucky because the minute Harry saw that ocean, he was straight out and splashing into it. Watching him out there, water dripping off his chest, the sun and reflection of the water glistening on his skin, his little claw clip holding on for dear life and the brightest, widest smile on his face, I was once again reminded why I stuck it out through all these trials. Because I was so in love.
I didn't hesitate for a moment when he beckoned for my to join him. My clothes were shed and I was splashing my way quite inelegantly towards him. But I felt no shame, no fear of judgement, no worries about my body or getting my hair wet. I just felt free and happy.

Later on when we were back lying on the beach, finishing off some pastries we had picked up along the way, Harry seemed lost in his own mind. His head settled on his backpack, one arm thrown above his head and his baseball cap pulled low over his face to shield out the sun.
I settled my book open over my chest and gazed over to him. I'd never miss an opportunity to marvel at his beauty. His strong jaw, that tanned skin, the day old stubble settling along his chin, his big arms and strong thighs. It was no wonder women over the world fawned over him.
As if he could sense my gaze, he shifted onto his side, letting the cap fall to the sand and lifting himself onto his elbow. Cheek resting against his own palm.

"Where did you go?" I asked, moving my book onto the bottom of my towel and shifting myself onto my towel to face him.

"I was just thinking about the future. Like, what would life look like in 40 years from now"

"Oh yeah? And what did you want from life 40 years from now?"

"I wanna know that I did things well you know? I wanna leave a legacy for kids, grandkids. I want to do things that will leave them proud and able to have a really good life. I wanna do what I can to spread love and positivity. I want to do something to make a difference somewhere. I wanna make music that matters, I wanna do great films with great messages." He reached across to grab my hand and held it on the sand between us "Mostly, I want to be remembered as someone who loved whole heartedly"

God, I thought he was gonna crack jokes about how he would be old and out of shape and balding. No he was being serious, open, vulnerable even.

"You know what Styles, I don't think you'll have a problem achieving any of that" I smiled softly over to him, shoving the sunglasses off my face and letting them fall back on the top of my head.