What makes a place important to a person? Is it the location, the place itself, the people there, or the memories it evokes? Perhaps it is a combination of all of these. This combination creates a place different for everyone remembering it. It is the literal sense of finding your happy place.

For me, this feeling occurs in several places, but with the return home from college and the re-assemblage of my childhood friends, it seems we have one place in common that shares a special spot in our hearts: "the secret beach." It is not as big of a secret as we let on; however when first encountered, we were shocked by the nondescript stairs that led down a huge drop to a beach on Lake Erie, off the beaten path of the heavy foot traffic of Presque Isle beaches.

This place has seen better days: cans riddled the sand and graffiti covered some areas of it, but to us young high schoolers it added to the allure and charm. Walking between shrubs on a small path in a quiet neighborhood, we felt almost sneaky at first (though the beach is public). We walked down flights of old stairs to a beach with a completely unfettered view. It was here that we spent time in the summer between high school and college, before we all went our separate ways. It was here that we sat in an abandoned shed and watched the rain pour onto the lake, and it is here that we all reunited this past weekend to celebrate the return of one of our own.

Returning to this place brings back warm memories and is one that we share only with those we care about enough to let them into our favorite place. Whether it is walking along the shoreline looking for beach glass, watching the sunset, or starting a campfire it is always a go-to place to explore year after year. Like my old friends, it withstands the tests of time, though it does not remain unchanged. An old rock castle has long since been worn down, the water levels have risen, and the stairs have become more rickety with each passing year. However, though it may change, like my old friends, it will always remain dear to my heart.

With one of my friends across the country, another hours away, and yet another soon to be traveling distances, it is without a doubt a special and rare occurrence to all be in one place anymore. We are growing up, but I (and they too) will not soon forget the simple joy of our shared secret. We all grow up and evolve, such is the nature of life, but places of happiness can remain unchanged within our memories and within our hearts.