Sandra Evan’s family was preparing for their annual Labor Day week-end visit to her grandparent’s lake cottage many miles away. It was always a wonderful time before school officially began.
Sandra was a typical young girl of sixteen, yet respectful and reflective. She dreamed of growing into am elegant and lovely woman someday, not a long-legged girl with brown eyes and red hair. Hadn’t God made all kinds of people? Somehow she’d become that swan from the ugly duckling as she viewed herself.
Her grandparents had a pontoon boat, and Sandra loved riding on it and going to the sandbar situated at the far side of the lake from the cottage. At night, the glimmering lights across the lake would always make Sandra feel so serene and peaceful inside.
The next day was perfect weather, so after eating breakfast, they set out for the sandbar. There was a young man she’d seen at the store the day before with her grandma and mom. Recognizing her, he grinned and said “Hi, want to play hoops?” It’s a game they play on the sandbar with a hula hoop and a beach ball and the contest becomes who can throw the ball through the hoop the furthest. Sandra was immediately engaged, as she was good at that game, and they played until they couldn’t move.
Sandra learned that his name was Kelly Stenson and was visiting his dad for the summer; his father and mother were just recently divorced. Sandra told Kelly she was sorry he’d gone through this with his parents, but so happy to have someone so free spirited and competitive to play with. It was the perfect end to summer.
She hated having to leave and not say goodbye to her newfound friend. Then, on Monday, already having started school the week before, there was Kelly in her history class, first period! They met up after school, and Sandra learned that his mother had relocated to the town she grew up in after the divorce, where Sandra’s family lived.
They grew closer, and after college, Kelly proposed and they got married on Labor Day. The ugly duckling had grown into the lovely swan she’d dreamed of becoming, and they visit the cottage every year to this day.