Each May when I move to the lake a heavy dose of nostalgia moves over me. And it persists throughout the summer as well as each time I visit a lake cottage or cabin throughout the year. This year when I move from my primary residence in Alexandria to the lake cottage will be no different. I will think of the past summer as well as summers long ago. The appreciation for them grows as I age and the simple pleasures of life rise in importance.
Technological advances energize me as does what it does to improve the quality and efficiency of life. That being said, I have been guilty in the past of spending too much time looking down at the rectangular device in my hand. But, I have improved in that regard quite a bit in the past couple of years. Moving to the lake is one of the best tonics for me to be more in the moment and remember the moments.
Smell usually does it. The smell of the lake or a cottage that has been closed up for the winter. Or, seeing a young boy or girl skiing for the first time takes me back to my first time skiing at Lake Le Homme Dieu. Fireworks around the Fourth or the start of Wimbledon elicits remembrances of time with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Great times at the lake. At a cottage my family used to own on Government Point we used to crowd around a tiny television with poor reception and watch Borg, McEnroe, Connors, Navratilova and Evert along with other tennis greats. Last year I sat lakeside and watched live coverage on an iPad.
The tiny television versus iPad being used is a good way to think about a lake property. Each year with technology, there is going to be something better and sooner or later you are going to spend more money to upgrade. With a lake property, it is highly likely your investment isn’t going to depreciate and dividends will be paid in the form of more time with your family and memories made. I highly recommend it.
