Long Shot, photo by Muvv

Matthew says that this dock sits on Point Lookout in AuGres, Michigan (on Lake Huron). It’s part of his My Photographic Love Affair set (slideshow).

I’m not old enough to remember a summer starting on a more down note in Michigan (and the rest of the country). A war with no end in sight, sour economy, mortgage crisis, assorted disasters and $4 a gallon gas have created a mood that suggests the best thing to do right now is huddle at home and wait for things to get better.

As I drove through Farwell the other day, I heard an unknown AM talk show host ask:

“Are you going to trade the memories of your children, husband, wife or yourself for an extra $50 in your pocket?

Gas is $4. It will be $5 or more by the end of the summer, but the memories will still be worth a hundred times more.

That made me think of how many times we as a nation have faced times when things weren’t easy, when everything wasn’t neatly laid out, when we had to work a little harder to make it all work out. I don’t think that any one of those challenges was overcome by choosing to seek less out of life for ourselves and those we love.

Here’s hoping we can take the long shot, beat the odds and win this game. All of us.

Have a magnificent weekend!