I love Labor Day weekend. It's the 'back to school' moment of the year for me. When I was a kid growing up in Dallas, we didn't go back to school until after Labor Day, so that was the weekend that summer ended and fall began. I wrote ten years ago that Memorial Day and Labor Day are the bookends of summer. What's different now is that I'm 60, closing in on 61, and lately I've been thinking a lot more about what I actually care about.

Amy texted me this list yesterday. The real luxuries in life: Time Health A quiet mind Slow mornings Ability to travel Rest without guilt A good night's sleep Calm and 'boring' days Meaningful conversations Home-cooked meals People you love People who love you back It's a wonderful list. Enjoy the long weekend.

The reflection comes as the author contemplates aging and finding true meaning beyond material wealth, emphasizing simple pleasures and human connections as life's greatest treasures.