The beach as microcosm

I was calmly sitting on the huge beach which went for about a half mile to the left and to the right from where I was seated. Guarding our "stuff" and covered with sun screen, hat and sunglasses on, I was happily watching my husband,son and daughter jumping around in the waves,and I began thinking positively about the much needed family time for us, being thankful we could all be together for the mini vacation. Just as I was becoming totally relaxed, a lady of indiscernible age approached me with beer in hand and asked if I might have a cigarette she could have. I didn't, but we conversed for a couple of minutes, and she told me that she and some other friends were on the island to celebrate her divorce settlement. She went on to say that she had been married to a cad for almost 26 years,and finally had the gumption to leave him. She had no children, but she was " looking forward to spending [her] husband's hard earned money," she quipped. She then left me to go in search of the much desired cigarette, and I realized that no matter how much money that over tanned, cosmetically enhanced woman would have, she was not nearly as blessed as I felt.Once again I looked out to the water to see my family laughing and playing.I laughed, too, and was at that moment I was glad fo my crazy, convoluted, unpredictable life.The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the sand dune!