Seasons Change

There’s both a celebration and a melancholy that happens during the change of seasons. This season’s change is especially difficult, as we say goodbye to our pools, beaches, long warm nights and glorious early morning sunrises. This weekend, Instagram is filled with trips to the beach with captions focused on capturing those last summer days.

The rain that falls in the background this morning is a perfect backdrop to reflect on the summer that was. It was a summer of great loss when we lost my best friend’s mom. But I was asked to celebrate her life in the eulogy which gave me the opportunity to pay her great tribute. I remember one day in college talking to her about what I wanted to do for a living and she asked, “Why don’t you write?” I feel that through this blog I’m fulfilling at least part of those dreams. She gave me wonderful summer memories of our trips to the beach, with Billy Joel’s Koheupt album blasting through the speakers of the red islander jeep with its top off.

We rode plenty of roller coasters this summer as my 9 year old daughter has become far more adventurous than me. I have gone along for the ride and conquered many of my own fears. Everything seemed to become easier for me with each more difficult coaster. I believe they call that, “leaning in to discomfort.” Sometimes, the child teaches the parent, if you are open enough to listen.

I am often reminded at times like these that it is the journey, not the destination, which is most important. I know that these years with my children will be some of the best memories of my life. Every moment I took their hand or we leaned on each other on the couch, comes together in a magnificent mosaic of a lifetime. The summer memories of each trip, which we as parents painstakingly took to plan, will be the good times they will rely on in their darker times. I know I recall my summer moments growing up with great love and fondness. May all your special summer moments remain with you as we step forward to our next autumn journey.