It is 8 am on a Friday in August. School supplies—-check. Soccer gear—-check. Littlest one heading to preschool—-check (insert mixed feeling here).
As I sit and drink my coffee, I am trying to comprehend where the summer has gone, I have to ask, “Are you in the same boat”? Do you wonder if you did enough? Did you use the summer time to its fullest?
The beginning of summer always holds endless possibilities, especially as I am lucky enough to be home with my girls. We had grand plans! The zoo! The Museum! The park so many times we would be bored by it! And we were busy. But not doing those things.
Summer is also a time for life to catch up. A time for plans to be made, undone and made again. It is also for spontaneous trips to trump the park and the 100th trip to Target. There are new experiences to be had (going to a play, learning to swim, paddle boarding, being on local TV!)
Even with all of this, I feel a certain sense of remorse, of lost opportunity and time. My daughter did not learn to ride her bike without training wheels (“it was 100 degrees most of the summer,” I tell myself). I did not paint my Adirondack chairs or plant (aka keep up with the weeds ) in my garden. My little girl is starting SCHOOL….did I play with her enough? Is she ready?
But as school is getting ready to start, I can positively say my family made some great summer memories that I did not script. We all grew, physically and mentally. I did not live behind my camera lens—a personal goal, especially as I sat watching them on the beach. I started doing yoga again, kind of. My girls interact with each other in a way that shows they are growing as individuals and as loving sisters. Our tomato plants actually grew fruit! We got a swing set! My daughter can write her name!
(And there’s Page’s Corner….for another day…)
My 3 year old is eating goldfish for breakfast and my almost 7! year old is writing her to-do list for the day (at 8:36am) after she finished two books. We are going to make book posters and summer, thank-you pictures and drop off pre-school paperwork and…and…and…
Life caught up. Summer was a success. And now it’s time to go Back To School.
