Summertime

The weather in Virginia is certainly indicative of summer. Balmy mornings that smell faintly of sand and salt water. Hot afternoons of endless blue skies. The perpetual swarm of gnats that follows you as you walk in the orchard. And sticky evenings of echoed laughter and running air conditioners.

I find myself thinking of bygone summers -- of adventures taken and missed out on, on sunburns and bug bites. I think of the last day of school and how thrilling it was to throw out the notebooks full of scribbling and the day planner full of reminders. You never felt more free than that day. There was nothing to do, no stress or homework to occupy the evening. You were able to shelve a whole academic year for 3 months.

Oh, to be young again!