The beach.
Tranquility, sand, salt water, ocean waves.

I walk each morning on vacation just like I walk at home.
I find that I am walking more for stillness and less for exercise.

I have my favorite spots…more for my eyes to see and my heart to ponder.
Places that are a respite…places that delay my going home.
One such spot overlooks the Sound.

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I enjoy family conversations around the table.
They are engaging as we banter back and forth about anything and everything.
Sometimes it is nice to just sit back and listen.

Recently, we talked about dreams and the recurring themes that seem to prevail.
Getting lost; being chased by someone, and being unable to run away.
We all experienced the dream of being frightened and the scream just wouldn’t come.

Mouth open…but no sound comes out.
Frightening.
No one hears your cry for help.

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The room was filled with parents.
Metal folding chairs were set up in the back of the room to accommodate them.
It was a day of presentations…each child giving their report.

I watched as the children saw their mom or dad come through the door.
An enormous wave…a smile…pointing so their friend could see who belonged to them.
The parent equally proud…waving back…too grown up to point.

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We have back stairs in our house.
I don’t know how it began, but my children all kept their shoes there.
One pair of shoes to a step.
Even when they are away…and come home…they put their shoes in their spot.

I like to see their shoes on the back stairs.
If the shoes are on the stairs, then the person they belong to is home!
There is something so right about that.
Home for a weekend…home for a week…home for the summer…home!

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I saw her pirouetting around the room.
Obviously trying to pass the time while her mom was shopping.
I almost envied her abandon.

She was wearing a twirly skirt, which she obviously loved to wear as she danced.
She had rain boots on her feet…not the ballet slippers I would have imagined.
She was carefree…not yet affected by the whims of the world.

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A young mother came to visit with her three daughters.
What a lovely morning.
I promised that I would get out our dollhouse and all the accessories.
What memories came flooding back as I watched her little girls play.

They played with the dollhouse and all of the pieces for hours.
Their mom and I sat in my kitchen having tea.
She held her precious eight week old daughter in her arms.

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