The waning days of summer

It happens this time of year. Every year.. the moment when you're staring at a beautiful summer sunset only to realize how early it's leaving us.. how short the days are becoming.

Sure, there's plenty of heat coming.. Scorching conditions of August, dog days of the month. They will undoubtedly occur.. and when the first burst of cold air comes in it will make us feel alive.

But we're also be saying goodbye to the summer season.. the months of the year where the great ball of light in the sky makes us feel alive. Amazingly alive.

I have come to love the sun.
When I was younger and less skilled in the game of life, the summer was a dreadful time. I hated the heat, the storms.. the sultry conditions of the night. As I grew older, I began to realize how important this time of year was.. how amazing and life giving the heat can be, even when you're sweating through T shirts and wiping your brow..

So here it is again.. back to school purchases being made. End of summer clothing sales on racks.. And yes, even Halloween candy slowly starting to rear its head at convenient store counters. Signs of the season..
Signs of the dying season.

Fireflies are still littering the air at dusk in a beautiful serenade to the night. But the lights are dimming. There are less of them now, more darkness .. More crickets .. Sounds of late summer mating.

It will all go by very fast now. Enjoy it.
Enjoy all of it.. every bead of sweat.. every ray of sun.. Every last minute of light before darkness sets in..
Before the cold..
Before the summer ends.