When I was a kid, one of my favorite times of the year was the last day of school. The feeling of freedom that came from that moment was exciting. I did not know what adventures the summer months held while the plans I made to make sure that I got the most out of my time were often ambitious and could never be accomplished. I am sure that many students have felt the same way that I did, and this is the reason that summer still holds a special place in our hearts still today.
Oddly enough, another of my favorite times of the year came at the end of the summer when I would return back to school. The ambitions of summer would never come to fruition, and though the imposing thought of sitting in a school desk loomed ever larger on the horizon, I would welcome those moments with the same kind of excitement that I had at the beginning of the summer. I don’t know why I got excited about both of these opposing moments of a young man’s year, but I did. It might have had something to do with a change of pace and being ready to take on the challenges that that change presented to me.
When I grew older and graduated from college, I joined the working class, and soon realized that this feeling that came from the beginning and end of summer did not hold as much significance. I was no longer given that time off, and the daily grind of my work life just continued on with the difference being that the days were now hotter and I did not want to go outside. In fact, I started to dread this time of the year because of this. It was the fall and spring months that started to get me excited about the world around me, and once again it might have been because the demonstrated a time of change instead of the same old boring routine.
Of course, all of this changed since I have gone back to academia, and have taken a job as a teacher. The joy that I used to feel at the beginning of summer once again returned. There was a similar reason to it, but the main one being that I could unwind from a busy school year so I could be ready for the next one. Of course, there have always been big plans for the summer, but my ambition switched from getting the most out of my time to finding a place where I could relax and just take in the time that was given to me.
Summer became even more exciting when I took my talents and started teaching internationally. When I was working as a teacher in the States, we always took a couple of weeks to travel to the Pacific Northwest to visit family, and every once in a while, we went off of the beaten path that we always took to explore other parts of the United States. Though I still come back to the United States every summer to visit family, I get the opportunity to take a couple of weeks at the beginning or end of the summer to explore a corner of the world that I have never seen before. I would have never thought that when the ambition of my youth was combined with adulthood, I would be able to accomplish those goals that I set out to do at the beginning of the summer. At the same time, it would also be the relaxation I would need to be able to get back in front of the class and have the energy to teach for one more year.
Now that we have reached the month of August and the joys of summer are starting to wind down, do I still feel the same sense of excitement that I did in my younger days for the beginning of school? Yes, of course I do. It is that sense of change that I seem to love so much except it is a little different now than when I was a student. I do enjoy getting back to my home after a long time away, and being able to see all of my friends again. I also like no longer having to live out of suitcase, and having my own space again.
I love all of the travels I have been able to experience this summer, and I appreciate you coming along for the ride. I also enjoy having that time to be able to spend with family and friends as I think of it as one of the most important things we can do as people. That is where the joy of life truly comes. But as they say in the real world, it is time pay the bills. It is time to get back to work. I am just lucky that I enjoy my job and it gives me time to have a lifestyle like the one that I have.
So as I close the door on another summer, I am glad to take this moment of reflection and look at all of the places I have been and the people I have seen. I look forward to my next adventure though it may be a little ways away. I hope that you can join me for it when that time comes along.
Thanks for reading.
John Collings 