There is something about the Fourth of July holiday that compels people (moms mostly) to start talking about how quickly the summer is going by. "It's just flying!" they'll say. And every year, but particularly this summer, I think the same thing. I stand there and listen to everyone talk about the fact that summer is nearly over on July 4th and think to myself, "Really??".
I haven't figured this one out yet, so maybe you (all two blog readers left after my long unexplained absence), can tell me. Why is this? Why do so many people think that with only one month of summer gone and nearly two months left, that summer is nearly over? If my math is right, there are around ninety days of summer (actually, I did a quick count and for my kids this year it is 89 days). And by July 4th, my children will have been out of school for exactly 38 days. That would make the summer 42% over. If you wanna round, you could say it's half over.
I'm a pessimist. I see the glass half empty all the time. But this one really gets me. By July 4th, we've just barely passed the summer solstice and our kids have fifty-one days left to hang around and go to the pool and catch lightening bugs and make smores. Folks, we've really got more time left than we've already had. Why do so many of you go around moaning that it's almost gone?!!! It is not almost gone. What have you been doing all this time that makes you feel like it's slipping through your fingers?
Ah! There it is. For our family, we've packed in a lot of summer fun by July 4th. So to look at all the time that is still left feels like it's not flying by at all. It must be that everyone else has a lot to still do and they don't feel like there's enough time to do it. That's it, right? Otherwise I'm still scratching my head over this one. Never has July 4th been near the end of the summer.
So there you have it. My opinion on summer's duration and July 4th. Yes, I'm still blogging (at least when something irks me enough). And I'm happy to say that I'm looking forward to all of the time we've got left this summer. We've got plenty planned and I hope to enjoy it.
Friday, July 09, 2010
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5 musings:
I'm with you. I can't believe June is over already, but that doesn't mean we can savor July and August! Plus, summer just officially started about three weeks before Independence Day.
Hope the rest of your summer is wonderful! Glad to see you "back"!
I, for one, am not a huge fan of summer. So that was all good news to me...even though I see your point that it isn't almost over. Perhaps people think that since school starts in August, they are basing summer on that...but this year being out in May has made it extra long...hmmmm...
Charity - thanks! Good to hear from you.
Sarah - is that why you're back to schooling already?
I think people think the summer goes fast after the 4th. Our June flew by, and I was just grateful when the 4th passed and I looked at the calendar. There are still 6 weeks (well actually, now 41 days) until summer is over. Good...I still have a lot of things on our list of "summer to-do's) to do.
Sarah W. - That is part of the beauty of thinking July 4th marks the beginning of the end - you get to be surprised by how much is really left. Hope you get to enjoy much, if not all, of what's left on your list!
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