Sunshine my shoulder

It's s funny how something as simple as a sunny day can make you feel so nostalgic. My husband and I had just finished our walk in the local cemetery and the sun was shining so brightly. I could feel the warmth on my face and it made me happy. We'd done three laps and felt good about it so we sat down on a bench to rest. As we sat there, I closed my eyes and basked in the sun. A few minutes later, John Denver's song, "Sunshine on My Shoulder" was playing in my head. I hummed along and thought back to a special memory in 1978 (or it could have been '79, my memory is not as good as it used to be..)

I remembered being on a family vacation. We'd gone to a beautiful place in North Georgia called Lake Marvin. My family and I were staying for the week at a cabin owned by the Girl Scouts of America. My mother was a Girl Scout leader and had access to the cabin which was a blessing for us. Family vacations were expensive and we didn't have much money. 

There were many special memories on that trip, but one of my favorites was getting into a canoe and going across the lake with my younger brother. We paddled up to a beaver dam, laughing and talking along the way. We both loved nature so much and just being under the low-hanging trees with a slight breeze in the air was amazing. We stayed at the beaver dam for about 30 minutes looking for beavers and then headed back toward the cabin. As we were rowing, the sun was glinting off the water. I don't think I'd ever felt such peace. 

Paddling slowly and in tandem, we reached the shore, pulled up the canoe, and went back into the cabin. I think later that afternoon he and my dad went fishing along the shore of the lake while my mother, sister and I stayed inside fixing the meal. 

It always amazes me how past memories pop up when I least expect them. But when they do, I'm glad because it feels like I'm reliving the memory all over again. 

My brother left this Earth in 2021. I've missed him so much but I imagine, if there's a lake anywhere in heaven, he's out on a boat fishing. And if he is, I'm sure the sunshine it's just over his shoulder and he's feeling fine.