This is my favorite time of year. Despite today's sweltering temperatures, I love the Fall. Spending my elementary school years in New York, I still remember the excitement of "back to school" shopping, new school supplies and the subtle drop in temperature that made me feel better about ending my summer. The truth is that I don't remember enjoying summer as a kid. I didn't like going to camp which is shocking because I love it as an adult.
After my parents moved to Los Angeles when I was eleven, I went to camp for one summer and then finally convinced my parents to never send me back. Since the age 13, I was loyal summer school kid hanging out with all the other kids that stayed home. I have no real memories of summer joy, summer fun, or summer vacation.
This year when my kids and husband went back to school, the shift in my mood was so dramatic that I thought about my emotions and if they are seasonal. My friend once told me about "seasonal depression" which I totally believe (whether there is a study or not). Seasonal Affective Disorder (aptly referred to as SAD) is what happens when people experience a mood disorder during certain times of the year. I guess mine is summer.
Today, I am looking ahead. My head is spinning with all the possibilities for the coming year. I feel as though I have been reborn, renewed and the fog of the summer blues is gone. With this new awareness, I will think of ways to combat the summer blues next year.
I am simply grateful for the routine of the school year which is where I thrive. Routine allows me to focus and offers me a structure to be productive. With school starting and celebrating the Jewish New Year next week, I feel very blessed and will hold onto this feeling so that when summer comes around again, I will remember my favorite lesson, "This too shall pass."
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