End of Summer Thoughts

Today is the unofficial last day of summer. At least in the South, Memorial Day always marks the beginning of summer, and Labor Day stamps the end of it. After Labor Day, pools close, and some say you can no longer wear white (do you follow that rule?). For me, it has always been a nostalgic time of year. Carefree afternoons lounging in the sun, vacations, and long days come to a close. The mornings grow crisper, and school gets in full swing.

I really love summer for the freedom, adventures, and general laid-back attitude of the world, and this one was particularly wonderful. I traveled to 14 different European cities and saw so much beauty. I soaked up the simple days in Rhode Island with my family. My summer was full of new experiences.

It can be hard to return to the routine of teaching every day and going to bed early every night. It can feel like a grind. Once fall arrives, I long for the magic of the summer months. The thing is that the magic exists in every other part of the year, but it appears in different, subtler forms. Some days it is a cozy fireside night, the warmth of a dog, the comfort of a good book. But we actually always have it. The magic of summer – and of life – lies in that which is simple, which can often be overlooked.

As I have gotten older, I have grown to love and appreciate fall. I know that I do not have to convince you of how lovely fall can be in the South. Temperatures are at their mildest, the leaves turn vivid colors, pumpkins and mums line porches. Once falls arrives, we always enjoy it, but the transition, the getting there, is hard.

All I can say is to take this time for what it is. Spend your last day at the pool, slice of watermelon in hand, and thank the earth that we have seasons at all, to keep us in tune with our ever-changing lives, to make us stop and feel and live the day.

Love, Bee