It’s Over—Friday Writing Essential—September 4th, 2009

Summer.

It’s Over. Done. Concluded, exhausted, spent, used up.

It’s a wrap.

Technically, autumn does not arrive until September 22 at 5:18PM EDT, but practically speaking, summer has bid us adieu for another year.

Although fall is my favorite season, with leaves turned a brightened shock of red, orange, and yellow in freshly crispened air, I will miss the summer—maybe more so this year than others.

Next Wednesday, my daughter goes back to high school. As a junior, she’s taking another step towards graduation and independence. As much as I want her to move forward in her life, there’s a part of me that saddens at the prospect.

She learned to drive this summer, and will be taking her road test sometime in the next couple of months. She’s a good driver—careful and properly awed by the dangers of the road—but I can’t quite get used to seeing her behind the wheel of a car. I look at her and still see the face of my little girl, and wonder where the years have gone that I should be here with her now, on the brink of her adulthood.

I had planned to spend my summer getting caught up on my reading, but truth be told, I haven’t yet finished one book. I kept telling myself that the books could wait—there seemed to be something more important to do. That something was spending time with my only child, this daughter perched on the edge of adulthood.

We swam in our pool, we shopped, we watched funny movies and laughed a lot. We went out to breakfast and talked. We took our dog for walks together. She got her ears pierced (again), and we did each other’s hair. She became a vegetarian a few months ago, and we looked for new recipes and cooked them together.

It was relaxing, fun, and satisfying. I went to bed every night feeling peaceful and looking forward to the next day.

As I’m typing this article at my dining room table, she’s sitting next to me, finishing her school-required journal entry about a book she read. She’s got a full schedule of classes, including a college level chemistry class, so I know her free time will be severely limited very soon.

And we’re one step closer to the end of summers spent together.

Childhood really is fleeting. Growing up, I know I never believed that—just like every other kid. We think there will always be time to play, to dream, to have fun with our families… and I think that’s as it should be. We have the rest of our adult lives to shoulder the responsibilities and burdens that come with the territory.

So, today, I’m reminded of the end of not only summer, but my daughter’s youth as well. Regardless of the calendar, I’m not ready to give up the best parts of the last couple months. I’ll reaffirm my commitment to seize every opportunity to share special moments and carry forward some of summer’s magic. Somehow, I think even my teenager will approve.

For today’s prompt, write about something you enjoyed this summer, and what it meant to you. This is not meant to be a “What I Did On My Summer Vacation” essay, similar to what many of us had to write at the beginning of every school year.

Tell me about a trip, a discovery, a hobby, or maybe a piece of writing of worked on over the summer. Includes photos if you like. Whatever it is, make sure you personalize it by including your feelings about it in your writing.

Don’t forget to tag it with “FWE 9-4” so I’ll be sure to see it. Responses to this prompt will be featured today.

As always, I look forward to your submittals.