Fake Ending

Several reasons why we in western Pennsylvania may feel summer is over by the Fourth of July, when in fact it is just beginning. We live almost on the edge of the Eastern Time Zone, giving us lingering summer evenings starting in late spring. Our schools close for the summer around Memorial Day or the first week in June, rarely later than that. A week after the summer solstice, the daylight grows shorter, with the bright morning sun arising later than at the beginning of June. I noticed these last few mornings, the sun is strong around 6:30, seemed it was 5:30 a few weeks ago. Plus with higher humidity, the mornings can be cloudy.
On the East coast, or at least New England, summer doesn't begin until the Fourth of July. They really should be in the Atlantic Time Zone, so sunsets are forty five minutes earlier than here, but the sunrises are that much earlier. This is where I developed the rising early mindset. And I was getting into my twenties more, growing up. The springs can be cold, even June. Schools there do not get out till the third week of June or later. My new niece-in-law just finished teaching yesterday in south Jersey.
In 1984, we returned to Connecticut from New Hampshire in March. David joined a "boomer" submarine. They had three months at home and three months away. He became part of the boat during off crew. The boat had two crews- blue and gold. He was on the blue crew.  We had three months to
squeeze in summer fun.
We had a glorious spring, warmer than other years. We drove all over eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. As June approached, we wanted to go to the beach and water slides. The beach we had to ourselves, so we were excited about the water slides. All geared up, we pulled into the parking lot. Oh, they didn't open until school let out on the twenty first. David left on the eighteenth of June.
We found many fun spots didn't start operating until the kids' summer vacation started. Not having kids or even knowing any families with school age children, we were not prepared, even though this was our third summer in New England. We hadn't had the time crunch before.
The first two springs had been rainy and cold. The desire to do summer activities didn't arise. This year with the fine weather and David leaving June eighteenth, we rushed our summer. I felt it would be over after he left. This was the first three month cruise and we wanted to cram everything in before he left.
Sometimes I feel life is like that. We want to cram everything in it before we leave. Before we get old. I'm all for grabbing every opportunity we can. Yet, I can't feel it is over. I fight that feeling this time of year with summer. We haven't gone swimming. We didn't get to Pymatuning. We haven't been to Presque Isle. We haven't had a picnic. Summer is stretched out before us for two more months. What is the rush? Yet, that feeling of not achieving floods me.
I have learned this year to rest in the Lord. I set goals, I press on, but knowing limits keeps me from panicking. Rest, relax, create. Let life flow.
How do you feel this time of year? Is summer over or just beginning?