Summertime - when the living was easy...

The sand dunes on Okaloosa island were once as high as a 4-story building. Well, at least they seemed that way from a child’s perspective.

A steady parade of hurricanes and tropical storms through the years have etched the terrain and altered the shoreline in immeasurable ways. The dunes that we romped on and climbed while pretending we were on a trek in the Sahara are now off-limits to human feet in an effort to preserve the only buffer the roads have from waves and tidal encroachment. Such is life.

The Bosom Bottom Buddy Club was an exclusive club with what we considered to be a slightly scandalous name. My sister and I laughingly re-enacted our membership ritual recently at my mom’s birthday party. This snapshot captured the Bosom Bottom Buddy Club about 44 summers ago. We’re planning a reunion at the beach in the spring. I think time has etched us in immeasurable ways too. Such is life.

They say growing older is unavoidable, growing up is optional. I've always had the goal to remain child-like in my sense of wonder and curiousity (note: this is distinctly different from being childish.) I've decided now that I have a grandchild to experience life with, the clock starts to reverse. You know, the cycle of life!
Care to guess which smile belongs to the mini-me?