Last summer, I had the pleasure of visiting Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore with one of my very favorite people. This stunning national park is located in the Upper Peninsula, near Munising, Michigan. There are many ways to experience the beauty of these rock formations, but the best views come by boat from Lake Superior.
We were on a sunset cruise, and it was gorgeous. After boarding the boat, we heard an announcement over the loudspeaker:
“Hello, my name is Braden, and I’ll be your captain on our sunset cruise tonight.”
My friend leaned over and whispered,
“We’re old enough… to be captained… by a person named Braden.“
The Bradens are coming of age, and it’s a reminder of our own age.
This memory always makes me chuckle.
— Renee Roederer
Smuggling Grace 