The yearly trip to the beach has come and gone. Once again, my wife and I happily assumed the life of beach bums for a week. For 30-plus years we’ve traveled to Dewey Beach, Delaware, along with frequent visits to Rehoboth Beach and occasionally to Lewes and Cape Henlopen State Park.

It’s so relaxing to just sit on the beach and do nothing. The intoxicating sound of the surf, with wave after wave coming ashore, produces a comforting inner calm. Life’s worries begin to slip away, while time appears to slow down, allowing me to organize my thoughts for the future. My comfort zone is to sit under the umbrella, with earbuds in place, listening to my chosen playlist for the day.

This year I prepared a collection of hits from the Flower Power/Summer of Love era, roughly 1966-1970. Three songs in particular grabbed me, as if I was listening to them for the first time all over again. The first was ‘Daydream’ by The Lovin’ Spoonful. That one fit the mood perfectly… just sitting on the beach daydreaming. The second song was ‘Get Together’ by The Youngbloods. I personally feel this may have been the best song of the Vietnam era, beseeching people to get together and make the world a better place. A timeless song which resonates just as much today as it did then. The third and most memorable song for me was ‘Love, Peace, and Happiness’ by The Chambers Brothers. It’s soulful and musically powerful, and the vocals and harmonies are so uplifting. You know you’ve connected with a song when you hit replay multiple times, keeping the moment alive. The sun, the sand, the waves, and the music took me along for a wonderful ride.

After thoroughly enjoying a day of relaxation, the fun transitions at 5:00 p.m. and ‘happy hour’ begins. The lifeguards call it a day and the dogs come out to play. It’s so much fun to watch the wide variety of dogs run and play fetch on the beach. We enjoy conversing with their owners and meeting the dogs. They’re so happy. We generally stay until the sun sets. It’s so peaceful at that time of day.

And before we knew it, it was time to go home, back to reality. It was perfect while it lasted, and who knows, maybe on one of these trips we’ll make the stay a permanent one.

TJ…2026