This is My Definition of Happiness. What's Yours?

View of Lake Michigan from Two Rivers, WI

Recently, I attended my 50th high school class reunion. Although Washington High School has been torn down, the beach house across the road from Lake Michigan still stands. Reminiscent of school days, a Friday night behind-the-beach-house beer party featuring Sandy Bay Port pizza preceded the reunion held at the downtown Hamilton Community House on Saturday evening.

Over 60 classmates and spouses attended the week-end events, collaboratively arranged by the generous reunion planning committee. Following an actual face-to-face social media hour, and a delicious buffet dinner (not to mention an open bar for those of us interested), we were regaled with a slideshow presentation entitled Four plus Fifty, highlighting our four years of high school and touching on the fifty years since.

Our MC offered a tribute to all class members who served in the military. He displayed several other applause-generating slides of school activities that included sports events, reigning prom king and queen, hall of fame inductees, and school mascots. A special thank you was offered to one classmate for her tireless efforts in bringing decades of class reunion events to fruition.



The presentation concluded with mention of my writing efforts, implying that a 50th class reunion does not signal the end of the road for goals and accomplishments but in fact offers, for many, a new beginning. One classmate enlivened the evening with his rendition of songs by Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley, as entertaining as he was in high school. Wherever your dreams and objectives led you over the years, today you can use those accomplishments as stepping stones toward your new goals.

My interest in writing mystery novels, the excitement of actively researching plot scenes and interacting with other authors, and seeing my work in print, offer satisfaction and pleasure for this 60-something mind, body, and soul. This is my definition of happiness. What’s yours?