There’s something about this spot

that makes me feel as if I’ve been here before. A place so familiar that you wonder why you even pause to look at it; but then you notice your heart has relaxed and settled into a new slower rhythm, so you begin to pay attention to the spot. I felt this familiar presence from the very first time my husband drove me to his lake 8 years ago, yet it was the first time I had ever been here. Driving under these trees is kind of magical, and the life you’ve driven away from suddenly fades from your memory. Still, this is not a place you want to possess; to see everyday and have it as part of your daily life. You want this to be elusive; an escape. At this point, we’re only a couple of minutes away from the lake.

For the kids, this spot is already tucked away in their childhood repertoire of memories. When we arrive, they do the same thing each time we pull up in the driveway. They jump out of the car, run to the dock, and are usually dripping wet within a few seconds, no matter what the temperature, or how loud I say, “Don’t get wet