After two or three years of talking about it, my cousin Trevor and I finally got our families together for an afternoon of boating. On a cloudy Saturday in September, we climbed aboard his wake boat—me, my oldest three kids, Trevor, his son, and his dad David (the wives stayed home)—and spent the next few hours in a cove at the 28 Mile Marker. My daughter found knee boarding to be her speed, and my 12-year-old son discovered wake surfing.
As Trevor—a competitive water skier in his youth—deftly pulled the boat around, time and again, to help my son find his footing, we talked. He works for a large architectural firm; they design massive stadiums for college and professional sports teams around the country, and he flies in and out of these cities, listening to Athletic Directors and coaches dream aloud. Big projects, happening in big places.
Then we talked about what’s happening here at the Lake: the Oasis development, questions about a casino, wondering about the future of the outlet mall. The stuff I write about every day at LakeExpo.com. These too feel like big things when we talk about them. 
Looking at the back of the boat, as cousins and siblings laugh and cheer one another on, I’m reminded of why so many people love this Lake of the Ozarks. It’s not about the Lake itself; it’s about the being together on it. It turns out, some of the biggest developments really do happen on the water.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Shore Magazine as we celebrate the many experiences that make up the Lake life. In a world seemingly hell-bent on severing the connections between people, I hope that this year, you’re moved to strengthen the best bonds of family and friendship. Don’t know where to start? Invite someone to go on a boat ride.
