Monday, September 5, 2011

Labor Day

I have lots of favorite holidays but Labor Day isn't one of them. Don't get me wrong I will take and enjoy any holiday I can get, especially one after school gets started.

Today has been a great day! I had a wonderful lunch at my son's house. He and his beautiful wife cooked a great meal originally planned to be a picnic. That kind of disproves the labor day rule I made up as a kid.

The childhood rule was derived from memories I had as a child. It always rains on Labor Day. I grew up in Florida. Since hurricane season starts just before Labor Day,often subtropical storms came through our area. Storms bring low pressure and low pressure triggers sinusitus. I remember lots of long days inside with a really bad headache. So, gray days, headaches and nothing on the three network TV stations but Jerry's Telathon and old movies. To a kid that is the definition of a rotten holiday and all of this on the weekend I was expecting to blow it out before school starts. I don't remember my family planing picnics or fun days at the beach.They probably understood the weather in Florida.

As I grew up I moved away from the subtropical storms but it didn't change my attitude much. As an adult living in four seasons I figured out that the end of summer was marked by this holiday. The pool closes, people change their routines as school begins. Curiously even people without children set up clubs and activities according to a school year schedule. Fast paced living begins and days grdually shorten at the same time responsibility grows. I try to ignore it. I try to pretend summer is still here but the pool water really does get colder and the days not only grow shorter but cooler too.

I promise myself to embrace it this year. I will gradually change my clothing from tank-tops to tanks with a shirt and then a short sleeve shirt with a shirt, gradually moving to sweaters and blazers before I break out the real jacket. I won't grieve over summer clothes and bright colors and the tan I convinced myself I was getting. This year I will look forward to cool weather,indoor projects and the school year.

Labor Day isn't the end of the world just because it is the end of summer. Today we celebrated indoors because it was raining and I loved it! I plan to be flexible, stop having unreasonable expectations and accept the seasons life brings. I plan to enjoy the rainy days, plant the fall flowers,find some cute winter colors (and maybe add a dash of color to those dull fashions). I will dive into my job teaching so the students can find school exciting and before I know it we will be celebrating holidays and playing in the snow. Yes, to everything there is a season and to try to hold on to the one that is passing is like trying to drive forward while staring in the rear view mirror.
Happy Driving!!

1 comment:

  1. I love your closing line! I'm willing to let go of summer this year, but I'll have a hard time letting go of Fall. Winters are a real challenge in the Midwest.

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