"Goodbye and Hello!"

Adios August - Saying goodbye to August, I look back on it like watching the snippets of a film on my life.  After 4 years of remodeling piece by piece, I finally have my kitchen as well as my house done, received health news that was much better than I thought it would be.  Although it is still not the news I would have preferred getting.  My oldest son, Eric went to Spain via Denmark to play in a concert at the composer's request and my youngest, AJ got a promotion that puts him on the track to his chosen profession.  The world lost 2 super people, in my opinion, this month: John McCain, a senator with honor, class and character that many in government do not have anymore and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.  Being a born Detroiter, I feel I have lost a member of the family.  I refuse to comment on any negative things that happened this past month.  There are far too many and it will only upset the positive vibe I have going right now.

Hola September - I greet September with a mixture of regret and anticipation.  Regret in that the summer, my favorite season, is coming to an end.  Soon warm, sunny days, blooming flowers, afternoons at the beach, and lazy days rocking on the front porch will be replaced by cold, frosty mornings, wool sweaters, the storing away of summer furniture and preparing the yards for the coming months.  I will miss being able to have all the windows wide open and feel the summer breeze as it fills my house with the sweet smells of freshly mown grass and lilacs.  My morning routine will no longer be sitting on the deck with my coffee watching the birds, chipmunks and squirrels scamper across my property having their breakfast and enjoying the morning warmth as much as I did.  And yet there is an excited anticipation of September.  The colors of Autumn-red, orange, gold, green-will cover the trees and yards showcasing a beauty that only God and Mother Nature can create.  The taste of hot chocolate with marshmallows in large china mugs and freshly baked brownies as an afternoon treat.  Watching children jump into piles of leaves as they enjoy the simplicity of play.  The sound of the schoolbus rumbling down my road at 6am and knowing that since I am retired, I can just turn over in my bed and go back to sleep.  The beginning of football season and the anticipation of my son and I yelling with frustration at the team even though they are on the tv and cannot hear us.

So with anticipation and regret, I bid farewell to August and greet with a welcoming smile the month of September and remember what is written about life's seasons.

"To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and a time of peace. "  ( Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)