Summer riding off into sunset

Something a bit melancholy transpired last Friday night, though for all but the most astute of observers, it probably went unnoticed.

It was last Friday when, for the first time in months, the evening sun set prior to 8 p.m., gently dropping below the horizon at 7:59.

It may have been but a minor incident; yet it served as a reminder that the certainties of the calendar year are still in effect; and our days are, indeed, creeping shorter and shorter.

For as subtle a sign as an earlier sunset may be, a more flagrant sign of the changing seasons comes tomorrow, when students at Armorel, Blytheville and Gosnell public schools head back to school. I've often thought that the "new year" would be better observed in August, rather than January; for as anyone with school-age children knows, it is the school calendar the dominates the cycle of the modern life.

Often, around this time of year, I've written my lament at the slow fade of summer. I've always been a fan of spring and summer, from the warm air that they bring, to the freedom they represent. But I'm trying hard to let summer go without much grieving this time around.

It was Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana who said, "To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring."

I'm trying to keep those words in mind, as we transition into fall, not to mention the winter that will follow. Though spring and summer have their glory, there is much to love about autumn as well.

For instance, fall means football. Baseball may have its spot in Americana; but everyone knows these days, it's football that is "America's game." From high school games under the Friday night lights, to Saturday afternoons on the college gridiron, to Sunday's NFL matchups, I'm looking to watching a few contests.

Fall also means soccer. For the fifth fall in a row, my kids will be be taking part in the fall league sponsored by the Blytheville Area Soccer Association. For the fourth year, I will be a coach. Though they've also played softball, baseball and basketball, soccer still tops my kids' list of favorite sports, and the soccer pitch is a great place to spend an autumn weekend. (For anyone interested, Saturday is the last day to sign up for BASA soccer; 10 a.m.-3 p.m at the Chamber.)

Fall means leaves changing colors. Green will always be my favorite color. But seeing the reds, golds, oranges and browns in the trees is always a sight to behold. And there's nothing like the feeling of dragging your feet through a pile of freshly fallen leaves.

Fall means no more mowing the lawn. I admit, the first time out on the mower in the spring is always a thrill. But by this time of year, I'm sick of it. I'm ready to let go of this chore for a few months.

Fall means Halloween. It's neat to watch little kids get dressed up in costumes and take to the neighborhood streets for a fun-filled evening in the crisp night air.

Fall means cooler temperatures. And after the past few weeks, it couldn't happen soon enough. The changing season will bring new opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, whether its going for a run, sitting on the patio or just taking a walk with the family.

Oh sure, I will still grieve a little at the passing of another summer. It brought with it some good times — times that will be missed, but also treasured. But like every season before it, we knew it would end.

Besides that, it's not like summer is over just yet. It's still another month before autumn's official arrival, and the temperatures are still climbing into the 90s on a daily basis. There's still time to take joy in what we have left, while simultaneously looking forward to what it to come.