The past few years have brought significant and welcome changes to my life.  These days as I  sit at my desk in our new home,  my mind  frequently wanders back to a time when I was much younger, and  as so many young people are, filled with hope and anticipation of what life had in store for me.  Even back then I was an optimist  and nothing which  has happened in the intervening years has changed my belief that life provides in equal measure that which you contribute. Sometimes more, but never less.

Come along with me on a sentimental journey to places  frequented so very long ago. Share  my memories  of  the magic  of those times which only now  I have the wisdom and maturity to truly appreciate.

Autumn  reminds of one in particular , a long holiday weekend  trip  taken along with several of our crowd who decided it was time to check out surroundings other than those we regularly frequented. Although that Cape Cod trip  was wonderful fun, and the plethora of beautiful scenery was well worth the journey, we were unanimous in our agreement that home was equally, if not more, lovely. Parochial? Perhaps but even now in hindsight I find myself still in total agreement. In case you haven't noticed - I do have a wee bit of trouble hiding my love for our beautiful Canada. <s> I'd apologize but I  don't have a lot of time for phonies and really try to avoid that characteristic assiduously.

 So much of my life has been predicated on teachings from my grandparents. Our generation was raised with unquestioning respect for the work ethic which was so much a part of what made our parents and grandparents strive to provide a better world for their children where standards and principles had enduring value. If they had provided nothing else, that legacy was, and is, a priceless heritage.

I admit however that I am now more than happy to set aside that work ethic and to luxuriate in a slower pace of living as I enjoy the fruits of so many years spent balancing both career and home life. Perhaps the beginning of that process has had something to do with all the memories which seem to crowd my mind these days.

Each generation, I am certain, believes theirs to be unique and with special meaning so my taking that liberty is probably not unusual. I do however, believe ours to have been kinder to us in so many ways  than that with which present day youngsters must contend. So many problems they face were not even on the horizon as we were growing up.  In retrospect, we were so very fortunate.

Yes, of course there were peer pressures, and the attendant pitfalls, but no where near the number of long term consequences for wrong choices which the youth of today face. There were so many blessings associated with growing up before the so called 'nuclear age' which one only truly appreciates after the fact. Perhaps I  am more aware of that fact than many because of recent events which have taken place in my life.

As a teenager  I enjoyed such a carefree life! Seeing the same friends day after day, frequenting the same spots, always with laughter and anticipation of so many fun times with those same friends still to come. The Wagon Wheel, Dunn's Pavilion, the Palais Royale, or Palace Pier -- to name only a few -- or just dancing to the jukebox at Nick's on the beach. So many places.  And so many  pleasant , and often poignant memories.

 I remember so well that one of the biggest worries in those days was improving one's dancing sufficiently to attract the attention of the acknowledged best dancer in our crowd.  One would have expected a huge ego to go with that title, but nothing could have been further from the truth! Not only was he the best dancer, and a superb musician... he was also the kindest and most genuine person most of us knew.

Although we were great friends and spent many hours together, we never seemed to find ourselves unattached when the other was free and remained  nothing more than pals throughout those years. As so often happens, as time passed we lost touch once the responsibilities of adulthood arrived and  each  of us moved on to new locales, marriage and the raising of families.

Imagine my surprise so many years later to unexpectedly find my old friend, not only still making beautiful music (and still one heck of a dancer), but living not more than twenty minutes away from my home. During the intervening years both of us had married, raised families, lost our life's companion some years earlier, and had resigned ourselves to our lives of solitude. In fact, both had become so used to that solitude that the thought of changing that status never even entered either of our minds.

Having reconnected after so many years we enjoyed many months of happy reminiscing, and in a very real sense we  have relived much of our youth, as we laughed together and recalled so many occasions and places we have in common. And wonder of wonders, we now find ourselves  married and settled into our new home contemplating our future -- together.

Robert Browning wrote.."Come grow old along with me ... the best is yet to be." Wise words indeed, and a beautiful sentiment which I can only now fully appreciate and understand.

As I sit here today so many memories flood my mind -- of people -- of places -- and most of all -- of two very young, optimistic and carefree youngsters rushing toward life, eager for what ever it had to offer. And now -- as it comes time to slow down,  how absolutely perfect it is to look across a room and see your best friend smiling back at you with a look which radiates the same contentment as that which fills your heart and being.

The years have taught us  well. No longer carefree but definitely eternally optimistic! The years have taken their toll, health concerns have taken on a new dimension, and the wrinkles and scars of life's journey are very much  in evidence. But would I change anything?

Could life be better ? I seriously question how that could be possible. Perhaps some might wish to return to the days of their youth and relive those years. Fantastic as they may have been that would never be my wish. To be in exactly this time and place is indeed about as right as I could ever have imagined. How could I possibly want to change a single solitary thing?

As I close this page of memories, I invite you into our back yard to sit and relax on our deck as we share the autumn sunshine and a coffee, or perhaps you would enjoy just quietly sitting on the bench by the pond watching the fish and listening to the soothing sound of the waterfall.  The flowers  and gorgeous foliage are mostly only memories  now as the days shorten and the air grows cooler as winter approaches but perhaps if we are lucky, the strains of organ music or keyboards being played by a very talented guy I know may well carry into the yard from his studio to add to the over all ambiance of  the moment.

Memories of yesterday are irreplaceable but sitting relaxing delighting in the companionship of someone dear, in your own backyard right here and right now, as you share the enjoyment  of the fresh air and sunshine, is equally if not more pleasant.  After all, one can always use new memories to add to the treasured store of those already so precious.

 Thank goodness that at this time in our lives we finally have the wisdom to count our blessings and not take for granted so many things we never took the time to fully appreciate  when we were young. Each new day reminds us, as  Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote ... "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, today is a gift."

Our sincere wish for each of our friends and visitors is that you be blessed with a multitude of such gifts.