July 1 is the first day of the third quarter. July 1 has oftentimes been vacation time for me and my family. In fact, I am on vacation right now at a place we have known well since the 1990s. Once upon a time, the kids would scamper around the grounds in search of fishing, ping pong, swimming, pizza, golf lessons and more swimming. Now those days are a memory in this quiet resort room this evening. It is just me for now. My older son is in La Jolla or is he in Brazil? I never know. My younger son is enjoying the countryside in Austria. Good for him. There is no better time to see Austria and the world. My daughter is secluded somewhere in the Connecticut woods. A river runs through it.
The day began with a wonderful family reunion of sorts. Two descendants of Thomas Brown (1726 - 1762) enjoyed a taste of paradise on Coronado island. One came of the Brown family in Kansas, the other from the Brown family in Chesterfield County, Virginia. One knew of the white American experience in middle America. The other distant cousin knew of a southern small-town upbringing before the larger world came a calling. These moments of shared laughter and memories are the best in America. It is a shame these divine moments do not go viral.
As I remember to smooth jazz this evening, I decided to reflect some more on July 1. The following are two anniversary essays penned on July 1, one from 2023 and the other from 2024. I hope you can see my development as a writer. Each day is a new opportunity to reveal the human condition. At least, that is my summertime hope.
Oak Bluffs — July 1, 2024
The Examined Life — July 1, 2023
Good evening!
Clayton’s Coffee Shop on Coronado*
*No one was counting black people/quantum smiles!!! The Black Privilege Vibe
Happy July https://open.substack.com/pub/woochi143/p/red-white-and-overlooked-a-nightmare?r=5xgb18&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web