Today I leave Prince Edward Island after a six day adventure with my daughter, Leah.

We came to see Anne-land and tromp where Lucy Maud Montgomery tromped. We walked through the Haunted Woods and Lovers Lane, took Matthew's carriage ride around The Lake of Shining Waters, stayed at the Kindred Spirits Inn, and sat under the apple tree where LMM penned much of Anne of Green Gables. We drank Raspberry Cordial and watched two Anne plays (our very, very favorite being "Anne and Gilbert"). We also visited historical sites surrounding LMM's life. To say it's been wonderful does not begin to capture our time together.

And now we have to say 'goodbye'. All of the planning and scheming and anticipatory happiness is over and in its place-solid memories. If memories can be solid because tomorrow when I awake in my own bed chamber with clambering children afoot, the solidity of the memories may become a little more ethereal and by the end of August, a passing comment: "Yeah, we had a great time-it was beautiful". Today that idea of memory loss makes me sad; but tomorrow they will go into the life-trunk anyway. And there they will hold their place until I'm unpacking that trunk stooped over from my rocking chair. At least that seems to be the pattern.

Life is nuanced like that-we plan, we look forward to, we experience, we move on. But in that mostly frantic march of life is a gentle gem of wisdom as taught here and here: slow down, be present in our moments-really present- not as some trite phrase to paste in vinyl on our kitchen walls; but actually living our lives. Because good or bad, our moments ARE our lives and if we're not living them, no one else will. They go to the graveyard unloved and unlived.

I have lived-really lived- for a lot of moments the last six days and it was pleasurable. Thank you, PEI, for hosting us. ❤️