Farewell

Mikayla and her friends, Hannah and Guilia, flew home at the crack of dawn. She texted me when she got off the plane that it was pouring there. Of course it is sunny and seventy here. No scratches of clouds have damaged the perfect painting of blue sky. I miss her and her friends. The bathroom counter is now starkly empty of toiletries, the outside deck no longer has beach towels strung over the railings and flip flops piled by the door. I liked overhearing their conversations and joining in. They represent a generation of optimism, lightheartedness, intelligence and empathy. I have met so many young people like this that it assures me that our planet and civilization will be well taken care of long after we have passed it on.