the gift of today

our retirement goals are simple: reflect on our memories together and make new ones.

some days we end up doing more of the former than the latter. on saturday we did more of the latter than the former.

my wife and i drove into town that morning to go to soulard farmers market. we enjoyed the nice weather and savored the sights, sounds and smells of one of st. louis' most popular landmarks. i took pictures while she browsed the stalls, and we finished off the experience eating lunch in a nearby park and watching people come and go.

afterwards, we walked the red cobblestone sidewalks to soulard art gallery and dropped off a print where it will be on display during the upcoming "stl" juried exhibit.

on the way back to the car we met fred jones, a 94-year-old ex-marine who fought in the korean war. i had the honor of shaking his hand and thanking him for his service. he was even gracious enough to let me take his picture.

as we drove home that afternoon my wife turned to me and said out loud what i was thinking: "today was an interesting day."

a few minutes later we both giggled at the sight of two young does galloping alongside the interstate to our right.

still smiling, we exchanged a brief glance but said nothing. we both knew what the other was thinking.  today was, indeed, an interesting day. more than that, it was a good day.

goal accomplished: new memories were made. the gift was opened and appreciated.

it is hard to describe what we were feeling that evening.

but this much can be said: if tomorrow comes, we can’t wait to see what it will bring.