The best part of the year, hands down, is summer. Every sane human loves this season. And the realization that my summer break is less than two weeks away is amazing and I may be slightly freaking out.
In these last view days of school and deadlines, I wonder why I love summer so much.
Of course, summer can be a bit boring and a little too hot. Then there’s the fact that it’s so far away from Christmas that it can feel too long. However, those moments of grief last only for a moment or two. I know this because in all of my twenty summers, I’ve never felt happy when summer is ending. I’ve always been sad and torn, because I have always loved summer.
I have always loved those sunny months because my family would reconnect. This would happen through the many road trips we took. One summer, my family and I drove to Florida and stole countless glimpses of Mickey and Minnie waving and dancing on a street in Downtown Disney. There are even those trips we took to see my grandparents and I can still picture those mammoth-sized rocks that lined those hilly Kentucky highways. Then there are the road trips we took to the Carolinas. Those trips are so important to me now because I remember it was the first time I ever felt small. The Atlantic Ocean was massive and larger than anything I had ever seen. It was so large it almost felt dangerous, but then I was overcome with peace. That peace was caused by the recognition that the God I loved was even bigger than what was moving around right in front of me. I can still remember that feeling of peace.
Summer makes me think of those normal days I just stayed at home. I think of family badminton tournaments after dinners outside. I think of fireflies, the Fourth of July and that one summer my dad hung a huge tire swing in the backyard. I think of Popsicles and the smell of mowed grass. I think of sleeping in and sleepovers with my sisters while we paint our nails and make silly music videos. I even think of bonfires, s’mores, music, and friends.
Out of every memory, thought or feeling, I mostly remember how magical every summer felt.
Summers were—and are—so special. They act like an in-between or a time-out of life where there is Netflix and internships, grandparents and younger siblings.
Fortunately, summers aren’t just in-betweens or a time-out of life. These periods of our lives connect years to years and can help us save sweet memories from family road trips and everyday moments. They can show us what it’s like to be entirely free from stress and anxiety and they can even show us what it’s like to be a kid again.
Yes, hands down, summer is the best part of the year.
And I only have two weeks until it's here again!
