childhood revisited...

When I was no more than five years old, my family made its first summer trip down to Hilton Head, SC.  Little did I know then that it would become a mainstay for my own children more than thirty years later!

We aren't always fully aware of how events of our childhood impact our adult lives.  For example, why do I pick up donuts for my kids  every Saturday morning?  That is exactly what my own father did every week when I was little.  Similarly, a weeklong family vacation in the middle of summer to this tiny island seems only natural.  It's familiar, it's comfortable, and it's relaxing.  Most of all, though, it's family.  It's symbolic of all those wonderful childhood remembrances, ones I certainly don't mind reliving.

Will we always journey down to Hilton Head during the heat of August?  Who knows.  Maybe my children will grow tired of this place.  Maybe I will.  Maybe the extended family, whose presence makes this more than a typical vacation, will develop an itch for something new.  I don't know, but until that day comes, I'm going to sit back, relax, and enjoy these moments. 

roles & responsibilities

Sometimes, when you've been with one person long enough, you don't always realize how you've divided up life's responsibilities.  This is especially true with parents of young kids.  One person naturally gravitates to the laundry, while another may tend to the garbage.  There is no right or wrong approach - just different approaches.

As my wife and I near our tenth wedding anniversary, I can clearly see the different roles we've both taken on over the years.  I could no more fill her shoes than she could fill mine.  We "work" because we each recognize those areas where the other shines and align ourselves accordingly.  That's marriage, that's love, and I wouldn't want it any other way.