The End of Summer
From
September 1, 2023
“Some idea of love as being a person’s life may be had from the warmth of the sun in the world. People know that that warmth is, so to speak, the common life of all plant growth of the earth, for whenever it increases, as it does in springtime, plants of every kind rise up from the ground, are adorned with leaves, then flowers, and finally fruits, and so become in a way alive. On the other hand, when the warmth wanes, as it does in autumn and winter, the plants are divested of these signs of life and wither. The same is the case with love in a person, for love and warmth correspond to each other.”
(Divine Love and Wisdom 3)
(I’m feeling grumpy, so buckle up…)
Ah, September. The month that has the audacity to stand between the sun-soaked days of August and the spooky festivities of October. If months were siblings, September would be that middle child, always trying to steal the limelight with its “back to school” jingles and pumpkin-spiced everything. But let’s be honest,
September is just the universe’s way of reminding us that all good things must come to an end. By “good things,” I mean summer.
First off, let’s address the elephant in the room: autumn. Or as I like to call it, the death of summer. Remember those long days of lounging by the pool, sipping on a cold beverage, and forgetting what day of the week it was? Well, September is here to rudely awaken you from that dream with the shrill sound of an alarm clock. Gone are the days of summer vacation. Instead, we’re thrust into the world of school buses, homework, and a parade of never-ending deadlines.
And speaking of school, can we talk about those “back to school sale” ads? As a child, they were the bane of my existence. Just when I was getting into the groove of summer, these ads would pop up, taunting me with their cheerful jingles and images of kids looking way too happy to be holding a backpack. It’s like they were saying, “Hey kid, remember that big project you barely finished on time last year? Get ready to do it again!” I mean, who decided that the end of freedom deserved a sale?
But it’s not just the end of summer that gets my goat. It’s the fact that everything starts to die. Trees shed their leaves, flowers wilt, and even the grass seems to give up on life. It’s like nature’s way of saying, “I’m done. Wake me up when it’s spring.” And while some might argue that the changing colors of the leaves are beautiful, I can’t help but see them as a reminder of the impending doom that is winter.
Speaking of colors, let’s talk about the palette of the seasons. Winter is white, with its snow-covered landscapes and frosty mornings. Spring and summer are vibrant shades of green, bursting with life and energy. But fall? Fall is brown. Brown, like the mud that gets tracked into your house. Brown like the color of that old couch you’ve been meaning to replace. Brown like… well, you get the picture.
And then there’s pumpkin spice. Oh, pumpkin spice: the flavor that has somehow managed to infiltrate every food and drink item known to man. From lattes to cereals to candles, there’s no escaping the pumpkin spice invasion. And while I’ll acknowledge that as a flavor, it’s perfectly fine for people to enjoy it, but do we really need pumpkin spice toothpaste? (Yes, that’s a real thing.)
In conclusion, September is a month of endings. The end of summer, the end of freedom, and the end of my patience for pumpkin spice. So, while some might welcome the arrival of fall with open arms, I’ll be over here, mourning the loss of summer and counting down the days until it returns. But hey, at least there’s Halloween to look forward to, right?
Okay, autumn isn’t completely terrible, I suppose. But it feels nice to get this out of my system, and since I get a monthly article here, why not use the space for some self-therapy, right?
In all seriousness, though, I think we are going to have a really good year in the school this year, and I just greeted the incoming kindergarten class, and–well, fall isn’t ALL bad. I guess.
Rev. Glenn “Mac” Frazier, Pastor
Washington New Church, 2023-08-30