Ahhh, Summer

"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows." ~ St. Francis of Assisi

I cherish early childhood memories of summers spent in upstate New York. My slightly older brother and I spent many endless days swimming in the lakes and creeks around the Hudson Valley. Our fun was usually interrupted only by quick bites of fluff-a-nutter sandwiches (remember those?), and gulps of Kool-AId. Later in the evening, you might find us still sporting red mustaches, capturing fireflies to fill mason jars, for night lights to gaze at, and eventually fall asleep by.

Fast forward a few decades, to find me and my kids, taking summer day trips to the beach here on Maryland's eastern shore. These trips began with the last day of school, when I picked them up in the car line, our Suburban stuffed with bathing suits, boogie boards, and other beach paraphernalia.

On the way, we would stop at a convenience store, buy greasy fried chicken and our favorite "junk food" snacks - not so healthy, but what the heck, we were feeling the liberation of summer and were ready to embrace it! After a few hours of frolicking in the sun, sand, and surf, we would leave the beach and enjoy a sunset drive through the nearby wildlife loop. Heading home, no beach trip was complete, without stopping for "marsh mud" ice cream or some other frozen delight.

(ScrollDown}

These days, the grandchildren don't have far to go for their summer fun. They often swim with their parents in their above-ground pool. Sometimes they walk over to play on our little backyard beachfront on the bay, behind our adjacent houses. Whenever I hear their laughter, I close my eyes and it takes me back through all the summers lived before.

And though the places and faces for all of us have changed over the years, one thing remains - it is the gift of summer joys remembered.

Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. ~ Ecclesiastes 11:7