Whether I’m ready to accept the fact or not, summer – such as it was, weather-wise – is fast coming to an end as the month of September approaches at what seems like lightning speed.
The imminent arrival of autumn is usually a good thing – it’s my favourite season, after all – but for the first time in as long as I can remember, I am actually experiencing a twinge of melancholy that summer is almost over.
I’m not sure why. Perhaps part of it could be connected to the aforementioned weather we’ve experienced in my corner of the world – more rain, less sun, and cooler temperatures than is usual for this time of the year. In some ways, it doesn’t feel as though we’ve had much of a summer at all.
Oddly, I think it’s also associated with my ever-expanding circle of friends throughout the United States, most of whom at some point over the past few weeks have already sent their kids back to school. Thing is, I’ve always connected the start of the new school year with the first Tuesday after Labour Day – that was the day my friends and I went back to school, and this still seems to be the practice in many (if not most) parts of Canada. Summer, to me, is the full two months of July and August. So despite the fact that it actually had nothing to do with me and my own schedule, all of the back-to-school talk that started at the beginning of August has left me with a vague feeling of having somehow “lost” half of the summer.
Mostly, though, I believe it’s because living in an area of the country where there is a definite distinction between the seasons is giving me an appreciation for summer that I don’t recall having experienced throughout my adult life. Winter in my new(ish) city is by no means as harsh as winter in some parts of Canada (in fact, I wouldn’t actually describe it as “harsh” at all!)… even so, the arrival of Spring is unmistakable and the delineation between Summer and Winter is far more noticeable than simply a slight elevation in temperature and lessening of precipitation.
With summer comes the start of festivals and concerts at Riverfront Plaza, the music of which drifts along the water and into my open attic bedroom windows – if the breeze is just right, it’s almost like being there. Summer is pedicures and capris and sandals. Summer brings glowing fireflies and chirping crickets, evenings on restaurant patios and sipping drinks by the pool, trips to the beach and sand between your toes. Summer is about vacations and explorations and discovery. There’s an illusory sense of freedom in summer – life goes on, work continues, yet somehow the warm weather, longer evenings, and event-packed weekends make every day feel just a little bit like a holiday.
I know that once autumn arrives I’ll be reminded of all the reasons I love it, and I’ll embrace the goodness of crisp air and the vibrant beauty of changing leaves… but for the moment, I’m saying a sad goodbye to the summer that was.
What is your favourite season?
Are you looking forward to the arrival of autumn?