Epilogue Summary and Analysis

The most important thing in life is to enjoy the present world for what it is. It can be amusing and quite natural to contemplate the past and consider how one evolved from childhood to adulthood, but really, that path is irrelevant. What truly is important is to remain conscious and enjoy experiences as they come and go. Anne looks back and sees her father's ill-advised journey to New Orleans as symbolic of a natural yearning for the kind of happiness which comes from rejoicing in the world.