Memories

Memories
Like the corners of my mind
Misty water-color memories
Of the way we were--------------
So its the laughter we will remember
Whenever we remember
The way we were.

A few lines from the song of the 1973 movie The Way We Were with Barbara Streisand. All the song doesn't fit but a few of the lines of the song have been rattling around in my head today. Some memories are vivid but lots of them are permanent even if they are misty water-color memories, kind of like a old color photograph that you can pick up, study and go back to the time and place.

I've been thinking about my sister, Margaret who died 14 years ago from breast cancer. Her birthday was the 27th and she died the day before her birthday. Yeah, I still miss her a lot. I'm not sure we liked each other that much as children but as adults we were so close. We had so many good times together and so there is lots of laughter to remember.

A trip to the Texas gulf coast on Tuesday to meet up with  #3, Doug and his family, and #2, Gary. Doug had rented a beach house for his family's vacation. We went down to see them for the day. That definitely brought back a flood of vivid memories of so many family vacations to the beach. Walks on the water line, watching the kids in the water, laying on a lounge chair reading books, winnie roasts, buying seafood caught that day and cooking, feeding the gulls and the endless sound of the water rolling in. I couldn't help laughing at the "boys" as they remembered things from the vacations. I always made big containers of cookies to take down. What did they remember? Going with their Dad to the Islander Grocery in the morning to get fresh donuts.

It was really special to be there and see the beach vacation tradition being passed on to the next generation. Yesterday added some more laughs and good memories to the family's story.

So it is the laughter we will remember
Whenever we remember
The way we were.