**WARNING:** I know it’s kind of long, and I will be the first to admit that it’s a tease, but this is essentially Chapter 1 of a much longer personal memoir project. If people enjoy it, I’ll probably expand into regular blog posts.
*Dappled*. That was the only word Tara could think of to describe it. She had never used the word before, even in her own mind, but as she looked out into the crisp spring morning, it felt like the only word that applied.
Yellow sunlight filtered through the foliage that dotted the condo complex. The old-growth trees and budding leaves were so numerous, Tara guessed that someone could walk the entire length of the shady, winding sidewalk and never once find themselves fully exposed to the sun.
The only break in the trees came at the center of the complex, where the sunlight had free reign to dance across the glittering surface of the long rectangular pool. Broad canvas umbrellas were on hand to provide shade when necessary, but for the moment they were collapsed and stacked neatly next to the clubhouse.