Summer's End

As a child, I marked the seasons not by the calendar or the Earth's rotation around the Sun, but by the beginning and end of the school year. Yes, there were two seasons: Winter (in school) and Summer (out of school). So, as 2nd Grade begins for Emma, another summer draws to a close and Winter's icy grip approaches. Luckily, she doesn't seem to share my bleak outlook on all things educational. Her countdown was not to the end of Summer but, to the beginning of school. As she bounded out of bed this morning, a smile on her face, merrily packing her backpack, I felt the a bit of the old chill that this annual event brought to me in my youth. Nerves frazzled, stomach aching, I needed a figurative and literal push out the door. Emma, on the other hand, had no such requirements. The excitement was palpable. Let's just hope it's not short lived. So, to Summer I say goodbye, secretly secure in the knowledge that my eternal Summer began once that diploma was placed into my eager hand. Emma, little does she realize, has many Winters ahead. Just don't tell her I said that.