It’s 8:30pm, Labor Day. The last day of summer has ended, and with it the entire season. Living in New York means that summer is a great event. You plan for it months ahead of time, make lists, and before you know it the event comes to its premature end. The evenings start getting chilly, kids go back to school, and you are left with the recognition that in no time you will be shoveling snow day in and day out.
People always talk about how summer went fast. It’s almost impossible to reach Labor Day without feeling that you missed out on it. Last summer we took the kids to a mega trip to Southern California. We did all the parks: Lego Land, SeaWorld, and of course Disneyland. We stayed at the Del in San Diego, saw the seals in La Jolla, and even spent a weekend in the city when we came back and did a few Broadway shows. When the unpacking was done I told my wife that I felt we missed the entire summer: no barbecues in the backyard, no town pool, no riding bicycles in the neighborhood, no lemonade stands, no lazing around the house. Whatever you do there’s always that feeling that you didn’t make the most of it. Is it really such a lose-lose situation?
This year, we decided that we are taking it one day at a time. No big plans, no to-do lists. when I had free afternoons I taught my son how to ride a bicycle. We spent a lot of time at the pool, watching movies, or sometimes just running errands together. Every now and then we checked the weather forecast and if it was good we’d go on a short trip. Instead of laying out the perfect plan for summer we tried to really experience it.
So the kids are now in their beds excited about the first day of school, and I look back on one of the best summers ever. But no point in dwelling on the past few months. Just trying to be right here and right now and write this little post 🙂
