So Long, Summer

This summer rolled out in phases. First came the teaching phase, which nipped at the heels of the spring semester, when I taught two classes over an expedited six-week summer semester. I survived this phase, but have no clear recollection of it. Next came the visiting phase, when my parents came north to escape their Florida heat and spend time with us in central Pennsylvania. This was followed by the phase where I prepared for our annual garage sale, then a phase of intensive yard work where my husband and I mulched and trimmed bushes and repaired our old fence. Most recently was the phase when I prepared for the fall semester to begin, and given that today is the first day of classes, it's safe to say so long to summer.

In the midst of sunshine and sunscreen, humidity and the background song of cicadas, and days that less rhythm and routine, our kids had experiences of their own: a first internship in Pittsburgh for our oldest daughter, an school choir adventure in Italy our middle, and a week at Young Life Camp for our youngest. Everyone, it seemed, was doing something.

As for me, my something was a short trip to Maine to visit my dear friend in late July. While only five days, including the days devoted to driving there and back, it was, undoubtedly, the most memorable phase of summer.

Maine is worth the hype. So is spending time with a good friend. So this trip, which combined a friendship reunion and the beauty of Maine, already was destined for greatness in my mind before it came to pass. On our first full day together, my friend asked if I wanted to visit the coastal of town of Camden and take a scooter ride. I said I did.

Then, I realized that I had misunderstood her, and she had proposed we take a schooner ride, which is even better. Mind you, I was entirely down for scootering all around Camden, but sailing for two hours on the Penobscot Bay in a gorgeous schooner was phenomenal. When we docked, I felt vastly better about life. Such is the power of sailing, I suppose.

We toured the University of Maine campus. We walked through the otherworldly Orono bog boardwalk. We visited a few quaint shops and I tasted homemade Maine maple syrup. We enjoyed skipping rocks at Bar Harbor, eating ice cream, and exploring Acadia National Park, which might be one of the most beautiful locations I've ever laid eyes on. While overlooking the ocean from a bluff, I was surprised to discover tears in my eyes, not from sadness, but simply due to an overwhelm of awe.

So now, as I officially say so long to summer and hello to fall, which is beautiful in its own right, I take this moment to reflect on the main event of summer. To Maine, and to dear friends.

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