September has always been one of my favorite months of the year.
Being my birthday month it holds special memories of things we've done to make my day my own.
But aside from that September has always been a happy sad time. Back in May the approach of Memorial Day meant long, lazy, hazy days so anticipated for the summer ahead.
However, that empty calender still managed to fill its slots with day to day responsibilities and suddenly here we are watching for the approaching school bus. A new and exciting chapter of another season is just opening up and the kids are ready to take on what is next in life.
Everything got done I suppose but with everyone going in their own direction it is getting more difficult to manage the fuzzy moments of family time. It is a very sad day for me when I wake the morning after the first hard frost and I need to say good-bye to my flowering and garden friends, so beautiful and giving all summer long.
So September is the time when my husband just knows what is churning inside my head and we head for the hills and go hiking. Mentally refreshing and physically stimulating, a good walk really does help put things in perspective.
This year's Labor Day weekend was spent trekking the trails of Hawk Mountain, Pennsylvania. Within an hour's drive from our home, this beautiful region is a great attraction for enthusiasts studying hawk migration, those hiking the Appalachian Trail and seeking a bit of solitude.
The above view is from atop the point called Bear's Rock. A well marked trail, the walk was a pleasant hike enabling good conversation without too much need for concentration on our footing or catching our breath. But we also tried to stay quiet long enough to hear what was being whispered all around us.
Observing the feel of the breeze, the look of the land, its a clear message that the plants are getting tired, they've completed another cycle of intense growth, did what they had to do, and now need a rest. We have to do the same. Take advantage of the moments we're given, do what needs to be done and then let go and let be.
Yes the summer is nearing its end, the weather is cooling off, the house may seem too quiet again. But now we can look forward to another chapter, another season of opportunity.
Fall festivals can be as exciting as the musical festivals of summer, holiday bazaars can be as full of treasures as flea markets, and of course the upcoming holiday season has the potential of as much family time as we can handle.
Take a moment this Labor Day to set aside a time for yourself to reflect with pride your own path, to appreciate our country's history, and just why this day in September came to be a national holiday.
"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence"
Martin Luther King Jr.
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