A Four-Year-Old Questions Summer

As an October day turned into evening we found ourselves in our car on our way home. As I guided our car down the road, Jennifer and Hannah were having a conversation. Hannah mentioned she thought she had just seen a firefly. Jennifer, realizing most of the fireflys were now out of season, mentioned how we hadn’t taken the time this past summer to chase lightening bugs across our yard one evening. With that, Hannah asked one of her many questions that day: what is summer?

So, Hannah, when you are older than you are now and have a four-year-old of your own, maybe you will get asked the same question. I hope you can answer from your own experience and hope it sounds a bit like this:

Summer is…

Catching lightening bugs at dusk

Sitting on Mrs. Barbara’s porch eating a Popsicle

Swimming and slushies and beads of sweat

Riding the Tilt-A-Whirl at Lake Winnie

The smell of bug spray because the mosquitos seem to get worse each year

Getting caught in a summer storm then looking for the rainbow when the rain slows down

Chasing lizards and frogs up and down our driveway

Flip flops all day, every day

Watermelon and fresh peaches and fresh green beans and corn

Weekend trips to Georgia to see the cousins you always talk about but rarely get to visit

Vacations at the beach where the water rushes in washing away the sand beneath your feet leaving you amazed at how all this works

Sleepovers at Mammaw and Pappaw’s house

Sundresses and sandals and sunburns

Trying to talk Dad into stopping for ice cream on the way home from just about anywhere just because

Laying in the grass watching the sky grow darker then realizing the sky is growing a bit brighter as the moon and stars come into focus

Butterflies and bumble-bees and bug bites

Laughing with your friends at Vacation Bible School

Planning your birthday party with your Mom and celebrating it with your friends and family

Running on the freshly cut yard in your bare feet

Independence Day at the lake with the family

Skinned knees and sunglasses and slow-moving sunsets

Waking up one morning early enough to watch the sun rise

Summer is that place you make memories that warm your thoughts on cool December days and leave you with a smile knowing the next summer will arrive soon.