Would you want to know the exact date of your death?

August 31, 2019

That was the question my son Tyler asked me and his sister while we spent a weekend together at Folly Beach. He’s a deep thinker like that. We all went back and forth.

“Yes, wait no.

I don’t know.

Maybe.”

Here’s where we netted out on this question: if we knew that exact date, we’d do things a bit differently. My daughter Logan, who loves to travel said, “Everyone says they take that great last amazing trip, but I’d  just want to be home with my family and friends.”

That about sums it up for me too.

This past weekend I spent three entire nights and four entire days with both my adult children. They actually have no clue what it means that they spent this kind of time with me. I try hard to give them the space they deserve these days. But I just had in my mind a few summer lazy days with just the three of us. Sitting on the beach, me cooking bacon and eggs in the morning with absolutely no agenda...

Is there anything better than warm coffee, eggs and bacon at the beach? Oh and ice cream in the afternoon.

On the beach one day, I took a break from reading and just went and stood quietly about ankle deep in the ocean. I love the feeling of the waves crashing over my ankles. It makes me feel strong and connected to the earth. Then the waves went back out, sucking the sand beneath my feet out into the ocean, making me unsteady. In that moment of unsteady, I knew exactly what to do. Find more solid ground.

It was a good life reminder.

When you find yourself ungrounded, just find steadier ground.

Find your people, find your family. Hold them close.