What is it about vacation that draws me into a state of melancholy? Is it knowing that the best part is the anticipation – when we talk about the things we’re going to do around the breakfast table months in advance? Is it keeping one eye on the calendar the whole time no matter how long we are gone? Is it understanding that nothing lasts forever? Is it the fear of facing personal shortcomings that keep me from spending time like this with my family more often? Is it that the earth has tilted on its axis and the days are getting shorter and that before we know it we’ll be in sweaters and coats? Or maybe it’s a fear that this is as good as it will ever get and that everything else in life is strapping on work boots to get here.

Yes. That’s it. Look, the sun is going down. Again.

Four more days.

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Jim Mitchem (written and published while sitting on the beach in his home state of Florida)

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Jim Mitchem

Writer. Father to daughters. Husband. Ad man. Raised by wolves. @jmitchem on twitter. First novel, Minor King, out now.

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