The Yellow Brick Road, A Journey With Brody And Gannon

Today, Anne and I had the pleasure of joining our son Kevin as Brody and Gannon had their final swimming lesson at the Akai Swim School.

Why the final lesson? Because one week from today two events take place.

The first is that Brody starts the 4th grade and Gannon the 1st grade. The other is that the Akai Swim School, which began 57 years ago in 1957, closes its doors forever.

The Akai property is now too valuable to be a swim school and developers intend to tear it down and build something else in its place.

With no fanfare, in memory of Akai, I bought T shirts for Brody and Gannon with the Akai insignia which Kevin will give to the boys later.

Today, as I saw all the happy children swimming in the pools, teenage swim instructors teaching them to swim and families enjoying themselves, I thought what a shame to lose something so special as this swim school.

When Brody and Gannon finished swimming, I bought them snacks at the swim school.

Anne then departed to run her errands and Kevin and I took the boys for a walk on what I think of on this day as The Yellow Brick Road for there is much to see in the surrounding neighborhood.

And it is magical.

What makes it magical? It is in being with Kevin and his sons.

It is Kevin's observations and comments during our walk and the boys' excitement with going to nearby Tucker's Market, an old fashioned little grocery store built in 1930, and packed with more snacks the boys love.

It is in special moments like these that joyous memories are created, even as time speeds by.

I will long recall this warm, sunny day in which the laughter of children prevailed and in which I had the privilege of being with my immediate family and also my extended family whose names I did not know but in whose happiness we all shared such joy.

For I don't see only my family and strangers but more people just like us and in whose company we find happiness. All it takes is a smile, a kind word and sincere caring for others, capitalizing on the love that lives within our hearts.

Dick