Most of all, I remember the initial disappointment in finding the Sky Wheel closed for maintenance, irritated with our decision to avoid the hustle of tourists by forgoing the summer and visiting in the off-season months. I had wanted our children to experience the magic of neon lights illuminating the night, determined to create a lasting memory they could forever cherish, as I had.

I didn’t count on finding something so much more than the fascination of twinkling lights and crowds of unknown people: It was in the silent slumber of a town in waiting that we were enchanted.

I remember the night the Sky Wheel was closed, and how, as we walked past closed-up shops along the empty boardwalk, taking in the night air, we found a different kind of magic.

We found each other.

Year after year, the winter months still beckon us to return to Myrtle Beach, plaguing our memories with the promise of peace from the distractions of everyday life; and infecting our thoughts with the craving for what once was.

Diane Chattaway, Spring Lake, A member of South River EMC