We picked mulberries off the trees last week. It reminded me of the huge, old mulberry tree that stood near the front of our house growing up.

It was the best climbing tree ever, with large, low, sprawling branches – my favorite place to play. Our feet were stained purple all summer long.

I was so sad when my dad cut the tree down. The berries covered the ground by the front door, and we kids were getting rich off swatting the summertime flies in the house, at a penny per fly.

My dad left a very tall stump, and he built a fort on top of the stump. Annie and her friends climbed the ladder up the stump and entered through a trap door in the floor. It was cool – really cool.

After several years, the stump started to rot, and my dad had to take the tree house down. Now it sits in a field, where grandkids as young as my littlest can play safely.

I wonder whether I’ll have grandkids one day. I wonder whether we’ll still live here then, and whether they’ll climb our mulberry tree.

I know things don’t always work out as planned, but the ability to make creative adjustments and keep going is an invaluable gift.

Thank you, Daddy, for giving us lots of good memories. And thanks for giving us the kind of stability that equips us to adjust when life calls for it.

P.S. I hope you have fun “adjusting” to retirement! Congratulations!