This past Friday evening, aboard a sunset dolphin cruise in Destin, Florida, I was feeling pretty melancholy because it was already the last night of our much-awaited beach vacation, a graduation celebration for Ethan and my niece Hillary. I'd been longing for a quiet week to rest, lie on the sugar sand, and maybe walk along the beach with my Beloved. But somehow, all six days had slipped through my fingers, and I was still waiting for that relaxation I needed so much.
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| My sister Amy, me, Allyson |
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| Amy, our sister Emily, nephews Charlie and Sam |
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| Charlie, nephew Jacob, brother-in-law Paul, Sam |
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| Nieces Hillary and Savannah, friend Sarah |
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| Charlie and our crazy captain |
Just as I was trying to shrug off my dark mood so that I could enjoy the sunset and the sea spray,
Summer of 69 started blaring from the very loud, crackly radio. For a moment, I enjoyed the nostalgia as I always do, but then I started thinking about the words: "Those were the best days of my life." And I thought, "What were the best days of
my life?"
