As much as I enjoy the cooler fall and winter weather here in Colorado, there is a part of me that looks forward to summer. Going camping and hiking, wearing shorts and thongs. Something on the barbeque and cold beer in the frig. All the perks of the summer season.
But it also reminds me a lot of summers past and the joys of childhood…
The panic induced desperation of an Ice Cream trunk rolling by as you sprint across the house in search of a quarter…
Getting stung by a bee and watching it swell up for a couple of days…
Creating forts in the backyard (or living room, when it rained)…
Running around barefoot and the occasional feel of dog poop between your toes…
Catching fireflies at night…
Sitting along the Potomac with my family, watching 4th of July fireworks and listening to the orchestra play John Philip Sousa…
Going to a baseball game and filling up on hotdogs and peanuts and if I was lucky, getting an autograph from a childhood hero (thank you, Willie)…
My dad coming home from Vietnam and spending an entire day, just the two of us, driving around San Francisco, just doing whatever came to mind but mostly just being together…
Road trips, LOTS of road trips, usually along the California coast, taking in the sights, the smells, the colors…
But I would say the thing I miss most about summer is the freedom. The freedom to go and do as you pleased. Other than being home by sun down, there was little that stood in the way of my imagination and my desires. As adults we have responsibilities, plans, details, tasks, etc… And for most of us there is no “summer break”. The days and weeks just blend together into one long season. But I keep those memories of childhood summers alive and well within me. They always bring me a level of contentment to a sometimes weary soul. I’m thankful for those times and for my family and friends who made them possible. It’s my prayer that our kids today can create their own wonderful memories of summer.
Crap! Is that the ice cream truck??!! Gotta go…………….
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