The Lights of Sugarberry Cove

Gettin' old isn't for the faint of heart, but it is for the lucky.

Damage done is damage done, but careful rebuilding can lead to something stronger than before, something that can withstand the storms.

You’re where you are now because of where you’ve been and the choices you’ve made. You have to ask yourself, Am I happy? Because if not, every day is a new day to start over.

Everyone bears scars, inside and out. And behind every single one of those healed wounds is a story of strength and resilience and recovery. My scar is simply part of me, part of my story.

Whew-ee, there’s something about dying that sure has a way of making you want to live, let me tell you.

All I'm saying, darlin', is that the decisions you make today affect your tomorrows. Choose carefully.

The truth hurts. But it also heals as well.

- these here spices are a little like life. You put in too much, and it'll be overwhelming. Too little, and it will be bland and boring. To get it right takes some trial and error.

Talking heals. Talking hurts. Hurting is how you know you're healing.

People see what they want to see. Always have, always will.

I was nothing like my mother. She was an F5 tornado while I was a light breeze.

it’s okay to grieve, that it’s okay to miss him, that it’s only because of the bitter that you fully appreciate the sweet.

May we always have a touch of lake magic in our lives.” He glanced at me. “No matter where we are.

Where there is dark, there is light; where there is light, there is life; where there is life, there is love; where there is love, there is healing. May we never forget how lucky we are to be here together.

May we always live life to the fullest. Take the trip, take the chance, make the change. Dance. Forgive. Laugh. Always love. Be the light.

Life’s too short to not be living it exactly the way you want it. You have the power to make the changes, the choices.

As soon as I stepped outside, the scent of the lake hit me full force – twisting something deep within me – something that recognized this place as home. Home is where your heart is. I'd never been able to find another town with enough heart to suit me because my heart had always been here – waiting for me to return.

And I swear, sometimes, in the heart of the quiet mornings, I can hear him reminding me that it’s okay to grieve, that it’s okay to miss him, that it’s only because of the bitter that you fully appreciate the sweet.

perhaps if you stopped looking for the meaning to life, you’d realize that there is no meaning other than to live a meaningful life. Love your life.

History shapes us, molds us, forms us. You’re where you are now because of where you’ve been and the choices you’ve made. You have to ask yourself, Am I happy? Because if not, every day is a new day to start over.

reminding me that it’s okay to grieve, that it’s okay to miss him, that it’s only because of the bitter that you fully appreciate the sweet. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Every once in a while I turn to social media for help with naming people or places in my books. For The Lights of Sugarberry Cove, I asked for suggestions in naming Sugarberry’s town center. Thanks go to Christa Y., whose suggestion of promenade combined with Jan L.’s offering of landing turned into Sugarberry Landing,