When I was a kid, summer was always a magical time for me. Whether it was primary school or high school, the onset of summer meant one thing – long, lazy days surrounded by people that made your life better.
This could be school friends who also happened to live near you; or friends in your neighbourhood that went to a different school; or simply family gatherings that brought people together you only really saw at that time of year.
As I got older, I joined the Army Cadets (for 13-18 year olds), and summer meant the annual camp at one of the military bases around the UK.
It was on one of these annual camps that I met my first serious girlfriend, who – thankfully – only lived 20 miles away from me. So, that summer, and the following four summers, saw some of the happiest memories of my early adulthood.
As I morphed into adulthood, summer meant jumping on a plane and heading over to either Spain, Greece or Turkey, and learning new tastes in food, drink, and culture.
Well, that, and some serious nightclubbing as this was the height of the rave season!
Now, as a husband and father, summer means looking forward to the kids getting their summer break, and planning our weeks ahead.
Luckily, where we live in Ontario means we’re surrounded by amazing local wildlife centres as well as hiking trails, parks, waterparks and more, all within an hour of driving time.
Last year, we bought a cottage so we could make even more memories a little farther away, while we still can.
It’s funny, but as you get older you realize that summer is merely the culmination of living a yearly life.
Which, in all honesty, is no bad thing.
Live, Laugh, Remember, Start Again
Life is all about living the moment, and thinking it’s the best thing to happen at that moment in time.
There will always be moments when life is the very worst, and that’s all part of the moment too. But, much like the good parts, these moments come and go. Thankfully, the good usually outweighs the bad.
When the smiles are infectious, and the mood is inspiring, and the sky seems to be made for just you and I…. these are the moments where we truly feel that nothing can ever top this.
And, in a way, nothing will, because that’s a moment in time that can rarely, if ever, be repeated.
But perhaps it shouldn’t.
Because if we were to repeat the previous, we’d never have time to experience the next.
And that’s where our next amazing moments are waiting for us to discover.
So, enjoy the summer. Enjoy the moments. Enjoy the feeling that no summer will ever be as good as this one.
Because, for now, no summer will. Next year, however…. that’s another story. And one we’ll no doubt be thinking is the best one ever too.
Which is a-okay with me.