Oh, Mr. Sun

I was born in the month of June in the ‘deep south’ and grew up in Atlanta, GA – otherwise known as Hotlanta. You may think then that summer is my favorite season, right? Contrarily, I eagerly count down to the beginning of Fall. Only one hundred fourteen hot, sticky, long, miserable, days of summer to go.

You might be asking yourself why I’m such a bummer about summer. Don’t I love the warm weather, picnics in the park, and my children building sandcastles at the beach? To be perfectly honest, not really. I prefer cozy sweaters, my meals inside and my children on a schedule. Moreover, I’m a much more productive (and pleasant) person when my thermometer doesn’t reach past 90°F.

As I’ve said in a previous post, misery sometimes needs company, and it seems I have plenty. Most people can’t stand the insects, sunburns, and sandy floors of summer. August is constantly voted one of the worst months of the year in various polls. Then there is the small fortune every parent must spend to keep their children occupied by something other than a screen on the long school vacation.

Last week temperatures rose to a staggering 107°F and in some places, it reached 118°F. I ask you, what can you possibly accomplish in such weather? Chilling by the pool is all I could think of. It seemed everyone in my city had the same idea that day. It was a battle trying to find a spot to swim, which led me to ponder- aren’t most wars started in the summer? After a quick “Google” it turns out they are. The ancient reason given is that farmers didn’t want to miss harvest season; I say it’s the heat!

My online search revealed that even accidents occur more in the summer and that sunshine is more dangerous than snow. I couldn’t agree more; summer is dangerous. I think we should cancel it and skip right over to fall. Who’s with me?

Every year around this time I say a little prayer: “G-d, grant me the strength to get through summer, to not be the cause of war or accidents, to stay calm as my children plea incessantly for overpriced ice cream at the mall, and to even find the joy that summer has to give. And above all, to remember that September is only three months away, Amen.”