A few weeks ago I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed when I came across someone sharing their excitement about pumpkin spice latte season quickly approaching.
“Wait, what?” I said to myself. It was mid-July and my kids were happily splashing in their water table outside, and I was reading about pumpkin spice lattes?
A few days later I took my kids to Michael’s to grab some craft items when I was shocked to find aisles full of Halloween-themed decor. My kids walked through in a daze, excited to see witches and festive pumpkins months before one of their favourite holidays.
Last week I needed to pick up some extra bathing suits, because my kids are taking daily swimming lessons, and I found myself walking through the mall for an hour trying to locate bathing suits in their sizes. The racks were full of fall, and even some winter clothes, and we were just entering the first days of August.
I’ve noticed that every year our seasons seem to be getting shorter, with the introduction to the next season coming well before it really needs to. Are people actually buying witch-themed wreaths for their doors in the middle of August? It’s left me feeling confused about what season we are actually in.
Right now we’re entering into the seventh of nine weeks of summer vacation, and I’m realizing how quickly the end is approaching. We get so few weeks of lazy summer days, and I can’t imagine rushing them along any faster. I enjoy looking ahead to what’s next, but not so far ahead that I forget where I am.
I’ve been trying hard to ignore the confusing and mixed messages I’m getting every time I walk into a store, or go online. These messages are telling me to rush ahead and get my kids’ school supplies, and start planning what our fall days will look like. Instead, I’m slowing down a bit, savouring these last three weeks of summer vacation, when I get to ditch the alarm clock and leave our days wide open for fun and exploring.
We still have lots of time to laze on the beach, or read our favourite summer books. The days stretch out before us, beckoning us to enjoy the sun and all of the wonderful experiences that come with summer. If we rush ahead we risk losing the chance to enjoy the fleeting summer months, and the memories that we can create within them.
We are lucky in Canada to have the experience of all four seasons, and I think we should take our time enjoying each one. Besides, I’m in no rush to trade my summer sandals for my Sorel boots.
