Goodbye to Summer and the Back-to-School Blues
August, 2006
It is that time of the year. As I sit and write these words we are entering the last part of August. As a child growing up in a city, my family and I used to spend summers in cottages near lakes and beautiful woods about 90 minutes away from any big city. Spending the rest of the year in apartment buildings and playing in cement playgrounds was what we were used to. I loved both extremes, but summer was special. It was a wonderful contrast to the usual surroundings of concrete and noise. Summer was filled with long days, swimming, exploring the woods, coconut ice-cream, fireworks, fireflies, fishing, horses, campfires with marshmallows, and other memories and smells that will be alive in me forever. I remember going to the store for food during the few times we would leave our idyllic surroundings of cottage and lake life and be reminded of the “outside” world. I remember clearly the hot days of August, as we would approach that dreaded Labor Day weekend, when summer supplies were pushed aside for BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES, a lump would immediately develop in my throat and the magical cloud that surrounded me for weeks and weeks would burst and float away.
Last week as I roamed around the local discount store for some needed pool supplies, it all rushed back to me. The pool supply section was gone and relegated to a small place with other dusty items not moving that fast off the shelves. In its place were rows and rows of dreaded school supplies and to my horror bags of candy decorated with fall leaves and references to Halloween. The sacred space of summer had been violated. I was 11 years old again and angry.
With all these thoughts and confusion I realized it was time for the back to school articles I am supposed to write. As an adult I must push through these childhood memories and do the “right thing” and get these articles out. My wife is a step ahead of me and to my son’s 12-year-old horror, he is waking up to math sheets he must do before starting his summer day. Get the “ol’ brain” working again and ready for the upcoming school year. I secretly and silently side with my son’s horror and disbelief as I express my parental view that this is a good opportunity to begin to get ready for the school year. “Your mother is only looking out for your benefit and helping to start the school year off right.”
I could begin to write now about all the “right things” to do to prepare our children for the upcoming school year - reading together, doing math sheets, buying pens, paper, ring binders, erasers, and books as well as getting back to school year sleeping habits in preparation of the new schedule around the corner and many other common sense adult activities. Yet I can’t bring myself to fall into line and do the “right thing”. So I take my son out for some ice cream and a video with all intentions of staying up too late with some sweets and summer entertainment. I can’t bring myself to leave summer, even if the local stores try to force me by “morphing” their shelves into autumn nightmares. It is still August and my heart is in summer. So you will just have to wait a little while longer for some common sense to come from my pen and paper. Sorry, I have to go now and take a quick swim before the workday begins. If I am not at work on time I am probably on my bicycle enjoying the summer surroundings. I intend on avoiding the stores as long as I can. If you can’t find me maybe I have gone fishing. It is still summer as far as I am concerned. School? Never heard of it.
 Top of page
|
