Summer nights

Have I ever told you how much I love the sounds of crickets and frogs and other assorted things that make noise outside during the sumer? Not as much as I love staring at a clear sky full of stars, but pretty damn close.

It’s finally cooled off enough to open the windows and turn off the air conditioning. The breeze, the summer smells, the sounds. This has been missing from my summer this year.

It takes me back to my childhood. When we played outside after dark – kick the can or flashlight tag; when the screams and giggles of children filled the air. When the only thing that made us park our bikes was mom or dad yelling it was time to come in. Of the seemingly endless ‘see you tomorrows ‘.

It takes me back to high school, coming home late from friends houses, air so cool it was almost cold, but too perfect to roll up the windows. Of nights singing American Pie and Brown Eyed Girl. Of cheap beer, laughter, philosophical discussions, cigarette smoke and coffee. Of thinking we knew it all.

And of freedom; a world so much less scary and worrisome than today.

I’ve been so happy to let my boys play outside after dark. There is something so perfect about playing baseball until you can’t see the ball anymore, and riding a bike with flashlights attached to the handlebars. Catching fireflies and lighting sparklers; playing in the rain.

Just like when I was a kid, summer goes by too fast. I’m finally able to breathe it in and it’ll be over before I know it.

Thanks for giving us a break for a few days, Mother Nature. I needed the reminders.

Tagged as: memories, summer