August 31, 2007
The Official end of Summer
By Stan Dyer
It is Labor Day. It is The Official end of summer, or so they say. It is the day we celebrate America's workers, shut down all the pools and close the books on the season. Well, the autumnal equinox is not for three more weeks, and I intend to make the most of every, last minute this summer has to offer. The Official end of Summer? Not on your life!
Who has not yet heard me extol the virtues of long memory? Well, listen up. Here's your chance. Summer is the season made for memories. Don't get me wrong. I love the mild temperatures and the changing seasons during fall and spring. I also love many aspects of winter. When it comes to fond memories, however, summer bolts to the top of the list.
As a small child, I still remember lying on my back staring at the sky in fascination as the summer clouds moved about above me like some huge kaleidoscope or nature's Etch-A-Sketch. I remember having all summer off from school to ride my bike, jump into that inflatable, kiddie pool in our backyard, or walk to the library to listen to stories read by the librarians every afternoon. Oh, yes, those were special times and all of us young people knew we had it made; we had something special going on.
As I grew older, I did not care about UV rays as I baked in the golden Sun of July under cloudless, cerulean skies of pristine azure. I was certain I was just a step from the Gates of Heaven and I could hear the angels singing. The glory of the life-giving light and heat touched every nerve ending in my skin and left the bronze tone that epitomized summer in my mind. We played baseball, we played "house", and, most of all, we smiled all summer long as we relaxed in that gift of childhood called "summer vacation", the greatest present the legislature every gave to me.
The years passed and we learned to drive. Through driving, we learned about drive-in movies, (A carload for a buck), drive-in restaurants, (Give me a Papa Burger and a Large Root Beer, Please!), and we played all the games of summer. Baseball was still popular, but the opposite sex soon replaced it as the most popular summer game. Someone said, "Youth is wasted on the young". With all due respect, it was not wasted here. Not one second.
When I look back, a majority of my most favorable memories happened during summer vacation. I met my first, serious girlfriend, I learned to drive and I grew into adulthood. School was always important, school taught me valuable skills, and there was always a lot of socialization after class. Yet, somehow, most of my personal contact happened during summer vacation and, when I think about it, it's difficult to keep the smile from almost ripping the lips off my face. There is no doubt about it. I just hope everyone enjoyed their summer vacations as much as I enjoyed mine.
Someday, I'll be lying on my death bed and my life will pass before my eyes. I hope I have enough strength to put my hand on the remote control and hit the pause as any summer vacation starts to pass. I want to leave the world with that smile on my face and I know my memories of summer will put it there forever. If you ever think it's too hot during the summer, just remember you never have to shovel sunshine and no other season offers summer vacation. Society may want to call a close to the season, but you don't have to. Let the memories of the special days of summer carry you through the winter with the promise of the warmth to come. Labor Day as the official end of summer? Maybe for you. For me, summer and the memories it leaves stay with me all year long. No matter how cold it gets or how deep the snows fall, summer never leaves this man's heart, and it never will. Shine on you crazy diamond. Shine on, indeed.