A few years back, I was telling my best friend about the most exotic restaurant I’d ever visited. It was inside a glacier on top of the Swiss Alps, and the floor, walls, and ceiling were solid ice. I was 12 years old at the time, and I remember nothing about the food. But I do remember being in awe of my surroundings and astonished when I saw people outside getting ready to ski down a slope, shirtless and in shorts.

My friend is a gay woman and I am a straight man three decades her senior. On the surface, we would seem to have nothing in common. Yet our connection was instantaneous and grew deep. We’ve gone on numerous road trips together, sharing a wanderlust to explore the world around us.

One of our favorite places is Cumberland Island . We’ve always gone in January, when the air is

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