Vacation. Part II

Although I longed for the immobility happening up north, my southern experience ran a close second. Aside from picking seashells at the beach, eating my grandmother’s homemade meals, and speaking with my grandfather in front of 200 fifth graders, life in Florida – at least in Boca Raton – is slow paced. Seniors take their time as though trying to make each moment last a bit longer.

This annual trip, though similar in many ways, was unique from the ones before. Sandwiched between four generations, my niece and nephew, 8 and 5, and my grandparents, 91 and 87, gave me the opportunity to see life from two vastly different perspectives, people coming and people going. What I realized is that both parties need extra time getting in and out of cars. They both have different reasons for eating slowly, and both hold their hugs a tad longer. These are lessons, I learned, that should be done regardless of weather or age.