Month Gone

Another month is gone from 2024. Well almost; today and tomorrow, then it will be September 1 and Labor Day is September 2. That means most schools are back in session and college students will return very soon. 

Remember early fall? School resumes and part of you dreads it while another part loves it. The latter is a restoration of daily routines absent during summer vacation. That and the absence of purpose. Being out of school seemed terrific at first, then you realize how much time it takes to determine what you will do with the time! I know. It’s backward, right? However, the resumption of classes gave me direction, purpose and something interesting to think about, work with and learn. That pattern continues to this very day. Yes, Labor Day I re-feel the lack of the classroom. Still do, all these decades later. In my day, however, Labor Day was the marker for return to school. None of this August stuff! 

With September comes the soft days, the balmy temperatures yet soft air that cossets the skin. Very comfortable. Still low humidities. The air seems so very fresh. 

And with that comes preparation for the final months of the year. Buttoning up the landscape, exterior of the house, too, and making sure the car is ready for the winter months. Any outdoor painting must be done now before the temps get too cold.  

Besides planning for Halloween, Thanksgiving is on the docket. Where will the family gather this year? Will the turkey and its trimmings vary in any significant way? And the Holidays, what will we do that’s different for Christmas. Anything? 

Traditions loom large this time of year. We have been doing family things in the fall for generations. Any change to that routine seems too large. And so, we follow the tried-and-true patterns adopted many years ago. 

The completion of August seems larger than any other month. I know, December’s end means the next day is New Year’s Day and New Year's Eve is the time for celebration. Surely that has more impact than August’s end. I don’t think so. Just think of the energy field of your year. August and September embrace so much even when it no longer matters as much as it once did. 

Twelve months start and stop. Year after year. The tempo is the same. The content little changed. Traditions born from need and habit. We are creatures of routine whether planned or not. 

Time tells us this is good. We have enough time to think of creative differences but in the end, we will do what is comfortable. That and keeping track of the approaching end of year. Always did. Always do. 

Say hello to the new month. 

August 30, 2024 

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