Summer Lovin

Dear Summer,

Well summer, here we are again. Another goodbye to add to the previous 20 times I've met you. It seems you are always entering my life long after I've needed you, and leaving me before I'm ready to say goodbye. You come and you go in the blink of an eye. You're killing me.

I guess I shouldn't complain too much though, because this time you actually treated me well. Unlike the previous two summers that were filled with drama and heartache, this time around you decided to cut me some slack. You gave me time with my friends and family. You gave me one week with the boy in New York. You spoiled me again when you gave me both New York and Chicago within only days. I even got to visit Pittsburgh for two days this summer.

But let's not forget the biggest treat of all: England. Ah, the country I've dreamed of visiting for so incredibly long you finally provided for me to go see. For a blissful six weeks I went all over England, even took a few days to check out Ireland. I saw London, my dream European city. I had the best cup of tea I could've ever asked for in Bath. I cried on the bus ride home from Oxford because visiting the Iffley Road Track was just that special to me. I had friends to go out with on my 21st birthday. I actually learned to appreciate The Beatles. And you woke me up to the reality that The Police, as British as they were, are really an American band, and there was no need to visit their home country because there wasn't anything there to take from it anyway. They all have residences in the United States...so what was I thinking? Regardless, it was worth finding out.

So you see summer, you've been pretty wonderful towards me. No drama this time around, at least none that I can remember. Sure, I still shed a few tears, but that was out of missing a boy, not because I missed out on the boy. I did spend most of my money overseas...but everything I want here in America is already free. And after my interview today, I'm hoping I can make up for what I lost.

I do however have one little complaint. A silly complaint, so don't take it to heart, I don't want you to use it against me in the future. But the only thing I have to complain of is that because you were so great to me this time around, you're making it extremely difficult to say goodbye. In fact I don't want to say goodbye. I'm not ready to. I enjoyed you so much, there is no possible way that I'm suppose to start classes on Monday. You were great to me, summer, but you disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately, you and I can't change the calendar. I knew since May that classes started back up on August 23rd. I know that just because you are leaving what seems so soon doesn't mean you literally are. I had my time with you and now it's time for both of us to move on. You will fade into fall, and my lazy ass will turn back into a busy, stressed-out college student. It's just the way it is.

So here we are, with only a few days left together. I will try to enjoy this time we have to the fullest. I'm back home in my beloved hometown, where sitting out under the hot sun, going for a swim in the pool, drinking sodas, grilling hotdogs, and doing completely nothing never seems to grow old. And here I am, up at 3am writing, not because I have an assignment I procrastinated on, but because I have the time and the freedom, and sleep is just not appealing to me right now. And when I do go to bed I won't wake up til noon. But I'll still brew the coffee and still make breakfast, and then go about my day of laziness. My typical summer schedule. Oh how we have it made.

But all in all, it's time for me to wrap this up, and the best way to do that is to do what I started writing this letter for anyway: to thank you. Thank you for giving me a wonderful summer. Thank you for all the traveling opportunities you provided, all the new friends I made on my adventures, and the old ones for staying in touch with when I felt a touch of homesickness. Thank you for the laughs and the tears. Thank you for the freedom and the fun. Thank you for everything you provided me, including the bad (like that time you made me spend three days in Birmingham because our flight got messed up...I did not enjoy that). Because without the bad, maybe I would've never appreciated the good (like waking up after my first night back in America with the biggest smile on my face and a feeling of complete contentment). You gave me the summer of a lifetime and I will never forget it.

Thanks for all you've done, summer. Let's enjoy these last few days. And when school starts up on Monday, well...I'll be looking forward to seeing you next year.

All my love,

Laura