The Third Act

 Growing up in Michigan, summer was something to be relished and the season we looked forward to during the long, cold, snowy winters.

In California, the seasons feel more muted and subtle.

But one constant from my youth through old age is the cadence of a lazy afternoon when it’s hot outside. A glass of lemonade over ice, a hammock in the shade, a good book — those are the elements that help pass the time.

And time passes, whether we value this particular moment or not, wherever we are.

I’m on a brief vacation from the news, a long weekend out on the coast. There’s a timelessness here, as if I’m inside an old photo from long ago.

Back before the hoopla, the excitements, the crowds, the headlines, the marriages, the divorces, the hirings, the job losses, the parties, events, speeches, awards, letdowns and pick-me-ups.

Back before now. Back before my third act.