Friday, September 5, 2014

Don't Cry Over Summer's End


Don't you just love that quote? I do. In fact, it is one of my favorites even though I sometimes struggle to embrace it fully.

Lately, I have found myself saying those words to my younger daughter quite a bit. She has such big heart and she loves so fully, completely, and intensely. The only problem is that, sometimes, she holds on so tightly to moments of joy that she doesn't want to let them go.

Recently, my three daughters and I were fortunate enough to spend four days in San Francisco with my husband while he traveled for a business trip. It was the first time the girls and I had been there. We saw so many wonderful, beautiful things and spent four days together. It was wonderful. Until it was over. The night that we returned home, my sweet little Emily lay in her bed sobbing with tears streaming down her little, freckled cheeks because she was so sad that the trip was over; so sad that we had to go back to our "real" lives which means not being together around the clock.

Just a week later, after the start of school, I, once again, found her in tears. "Why are you crying?" I asked. Eventually, she said through her tears, "I don't want summer to be over!" She went on to explain that she has "the best sisters in the whole world and the best mommy and the best daddy." She said she misses us when she is at school all day.

My heart broke into a million tiny pieces.



Of course, I wanted to wrap her in my arms as tightly as I could, tell her that she could stay with me forever and that she never had to go to school again.

Instead, I quoted Dr. Seuss.

I told her to be happy about all the fun things we did over the summer. I reminded her how much she likes her new teacher and that, if she was always at home, she wouldn't see her friends. I also pointed out that, if we really did spend all of our time together, then it probably wouldn't seem so special anymore.

As I was caught up in all the back to school madness, I was looking forward to finally having some sense of routine and maybe even few moments of quiet time. However, I paused for just a minute as I hugged her and wiped her tears to reflect and remember all the wonderful moments of the summer. 

I breathed in the afternoon spent with cousins laughing and splashing in the pool. I reabsorbed the lazy mornings and the staying-up-too-late nights. I recalled the Fourth of July cookout with friends. I could almost feel the ocean breeze as I thought about our two trips to the beach - once with family; once with good friends. I closed my eyes and saw the mountains again, recalling time with my parents, brother,  nieces, and nephew. I heard the music of the Happy Birthday chorus. Of course, I treasured the memories of San Fran. 

At the end of each summer, I usually feel very conflicted - sad to see summer end, yet happy to get back to a more regular routine. This time around, though, I have been leaning more toward the sad said of that seesaw. This summer seemed to pass by more quickly than any I remember in the past. We didn't quite manage to check off everything on our Summer Bucket List, but it was still full and wonderful. Honestly, the last couple of weeks my kids have actually gotten along pretty well, so I wasn't really even that anxious to kick them out of the house. 

I could have used a couple more weeks of summer vacation; a few more days to soak it in. Alas, time marched on and days passed. I barely had time to blink before we were school shopping and making lunchbox menus once again. I will take the same advice I gave my sweet girl, though. I will not be sad that it's over (not too sad, anyway). Instead, I will be happy - so very happy - that we had such a wonderful summer!


This post is part of the Finish the Sentence Friday Link Up Hosted by Kristi from Finding Ninee and Stephanie from Mommy, For Real.
Finish the Sentence Friday
This week's co-host is Kerri from Undiagnosed But Okay.

37 comments:

Janine Huldie said...

Totally know the feeling and am so happy we had the summer we had, but still would have liked to have a possibly another day or two to soak it all in. I guess all good things do have to come to end though for more great moments to come from the next good things we accomplish :)

Allie Smith said...

San Francisco is my favorite city and I can't wait to take my children there. This is a sweet post Lisa, and I agree, we should be grateful for the good times we have during the summer and remember them whenever we need a happy pick-me-up. What's the alternative? I wouldn't want to have a sucky summer and be happy it's over.

Kristi - Finding Ninee said...

She is so adorable and so so sweet! I've cried on the last night of vacation, too, and have done so much older than she is, so can perfectly relate. I'm sad that summer's over as well but also had a really great and memorable one. By the way, San Fran is one of my favorite cities in the world - it's so beautiful and there's something magical about it. I used to think I'd live there. Maybe one day. I love all of your photos and hope that you and the girls are having a fabulous back-to-school week. Here, it's so dang hot out that it's hard to believe it's actually September, until the alarm rings too early every morning. I miss the summer, too. And love that quote (pinned).

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Like I told my Emily, if it was summer all the time it wouldn't be so special! :-) Been thinking about all of you with kindergarteners! Hope you are holding up o.k.

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Exactly! We have to be grateful that summer was so wonderful. It was the first time in San Fran for all of us (except my hubby) and it was a great city!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Yes! I was kind of worried about taking them to San Fran - worried how the travel and time change would affect them; worried they would argue the whole time and drive me insane. They really rose to the challenge and loved every minute of it. It was great!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

She is a cutie, if I do say so myself! 😉 It was my first time in San Fran and it was lovely. I think every city has a unique vibe and it was no exception. WE actually went back to school on Aug. 25, so we have two weeks under our belts, now. I think we are easing back into it pretty well!

Emily (OhBoyMom) said...

I love that Dr. Seuss quote too and one that I need to remember. I think it's wonderful that your daughter expresses herself and shares with you that she's sad about summer being over. I had a similar conversation with my high school son - he was dreading this year, with more dread than usual because it's the apparently horrible junior year ahead of him, with the pressure of applying to colleges looming closer and closer. I basically told him the same thing you told your daughter...I said to recall the great summer he had and to approach this year with optimism and gratitude that he had such an awesome summer. I need to follow my own advice, I think.

MamaRabia said...

That's a very fitting quote for the end of summer. Your Emily sounds like a precious, big-hearted girl!

Stephanie Sprenger said...

Oh, that is so sweet- your daughter has such a big, special heart, and I can really relate to her feelings, especially through the eyes of my own daughter. And I love that quote- so perfect!

The Dose of Reality said...

That is an amazing quote, and we will definitely be using it with our kids...all of whom tend to lament the end of things.-The Dose Girls

Anna Fitfunner said...

What a great quote! It's simple enough that young kids can understand it yet profound enough that adults can ponder its meaning. How did you come across it?

Wendy Gassaway said...

What a sweetheart! Such a beautiful thing for her to say, even though it made you sad for her.

My older sisters still tease me about the first time I ever went to a movie (back when the movie theater was the ONLY place one could see a movie!), and how I cried at the end because i didn't want it to be over.

Transitions are so hard, but it sounds like she is someone who will end up loving school too.

Tamara Bowman said...

I feel conflicted too at summer's end. Last summer was fantastic. this summer wasn't. So I felt more happy it was ending.
Your little one is such a feeler! It's a beautiful thing and I can relate so much. I used to cry every Sunday night because my beautiful weekend was ending and I missed it.

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

I'm still pretty conflicted because this summer was so great and went by so quickly, it seemed. She absolutely wears her heart on her sleeve and there is rarely any doubt about how she is feeling.

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

That's a great way to look at it, Dana! SF was wonderful! There are so many places I want to see and that I want them to see. I hope we can take many more trips like that before they grow up.

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

She certainly is, Rabia! :-)

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Thanks, Stephanie! She really does have the biggest heart and feels things so deeply.

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

The end can be so hard - especially when we don't know exactly what the future holds.

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

You know, i don't remember where I first heard that quote. It is attributed to Dr. Seuss, but I don't think it was actually in any of his books.Just one I heard sometime that has stuck with me. :-)

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Se does love school and she will probably cry when the school year is over, too! :-)

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

I don't know if I could take her crying every Sunday night! :-) She is definitely a feeler, though!

Kelly Mckenzie said...

Love that you quoted Dr. Seuss to your daughter. It's such a great quote and I suspect it will arm her well for the upsets of "happy endings" in the future. I know that your heart was breaking. Mine would have been too! Sometimes don't you just wish you could press the "delete" button and make it all be "perfectland" for them?

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Yes! That would be great! :-)

Jennifer Hall said...

Dr. Seuss quotes are some of my very favorites! And yes, this summer went by WAY fast!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Didn't it? This one seemed to go by so much faster than last summer.

Tarana said...

I remember being disappointed when happy things ended, as a kid. The way you gave advice to your daughter was perfect, and I'm sure she'll remember your words! I love this quote too.

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Me too! I used to cry when we took down our Christmas tree!

Meredith said...

I actually felt bad this summer was over too. It went by SO fast for us, and I felt like I didn't get enough laziness. Now that school is back in, I'm especially missing it, but it's OK, there will be another one, right? :) LOVE the Dr. Seuss quote too. I'm going to start using that with my kids. Sometimes, I think when something ends, they just tend to focus on either the bad things that happened, or the sadness from it ending.

Chris Carter said...

AW!!! That precious girl of yours!!! What a beautiful perspective to share Lisa... oh how I love this so much!! Yes to it all! I love that quote- and I too, will use it every time I wish such lovely moments were NOT over. I am sharing this everywhere!!!

TheMissusV said...

Loved how you handled it! I would have cried right along if it were my daughter :)

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

didn't this one go by fast?!? I agree - we and a great sum me, but not much time to just be lazy.

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

thanks you, Chiris! I have used that quote so many times - just have to remember to embrace it myself! :-)

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

She is such a heat-on-her-sleeve kind of kid. It's tough to keep a stiff upper lip sometimes.

Sarah @ LeftBrainBuddha said...

Oh Lisa I love your take on this! I felt a bit sad and nostalgic about the summer ending, too -- as my kids get older it's so much more fun to play and go places and it was hard to get back to work. Thanks for such a lovely reminder that we cannot stop the march of time, but we can smile and appreciate the amazingness of the continuing journey.

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

I had a hard time letting go of this summer, too! My reminder was for Emily, but also for me! :-)

Aamir shehzad said...

AW!!! That precious girl of yours!!! What a beautiful perspective to share Lisa... oh how I love this so much!! Yes to it all! I love that quote- and I too, will use it every time I wish such lovely moments were NOT over. I am sharing this everywhere!!!
eid al adha wishes

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