Memories of Summer, 2021

My most vivid memories of the summers when I was a kid include summer camps and swimming at the beach. Lake Michigan always surprises people when they first see it, the sandy beaches, the dunes that could pass as a part of some great desert, and t...

My most vivid memories of the summers when I was a kid include summer camps and swimming at the beach. Lake Michigan always surprises people when they first see it, the sandy beaches, the dunes that could pass as a part of some great desert, and the fact that you cannot see all the way across is never what they expect. The forest enclosed lakes with docks to run off are housed inland but the Great Lakes are more massive with a mix of sand and rocky shores sweetened by my childhood memory. I remember celebrations, summer picnics, relaxing, beach volleyball, collecting rocks. The lake was an easy escape from real life. A completely different terrain to explore. A welcome and steady friend. Ever changing but reassuringly there whenever I needed it.