I worshipped my tall, handsome, smart and popular older brother throughout high school, even though I found it annoying that everyone always asked me if I was Don's little sister.

He and I haven't lived in the same city for more than fifty years, and our lives have taken quite different turns. He has been married to his third wife for thirty-two years, is a relatively conservative business man and is still working at seventy-five. I married once, am pretty liberal, and like him, still working, but in academia.

We hadn't seen each other for more than four years when he and his wife Nancy agreed to join us at our beach vacation with our grandkids and their parents. Don's kids are considerably older than ours as are his grandchildren, and I thought he might be a reluctant visitor.

Much to my surprise and delight, Don seemed to have a good time. He thoroughly charmed our three- and six- year- old grandsons for three days.

Watching them climb all over him on the last night of his visit, cuddling with him on an oversized chair was right up there with the best moments of my year.