The end of summer

There’s a sense of melancholy that comes with the end of summer, an acute awareness of the passage of time and the realisation that no matter how much I want to slow it down, it continues to march on relentlessly. The changing of the seasons hits me harder at this time of year than it does at any other time of year. I look back over a summer full of memories and wonder whether we made the most of the sunshine, of the long days, of the time spent together?

 

The end of summer - Little Hearts, Big Love

 

Those days slipped by so quickly and I find myself thinking of the things we didn’t quite manage to do. The sunflowers that we never planted, the sandcastles we didn’t build, the missed opportunities to get out and about. I remind myself that I will never manage to fill every moment of the summer with happy memories and nor should I try to. It’s the ordinary mundane moments that help to make those other memories magical.

 

The start of autumn is full of change. As the children go back to school, I am thankful that Jessica is a September baby, that I have another year left before my big girl will need to go to school. Her birthday is another reminder of the passage of time – how can it be that the tiny baby who was placed in my arms for a brief, wonderful moment such a short time ago is now about to turn four?

 

The end of summer - Little Hearts, Big Love

 

The onset of autumn and the sense of time passing by too quickly also fills me with an underlying sense of fear – the knowledge that the clock is ticking and that another heart surgery is on the cards. I try not to think about it on a day to day basis, but every so often the realisation of an uncertain future hits me once again. I cannot look ahead – this moment here and now is what matters and I know that I need to focus on it and enjoy it.

 

Summer might be drawing to a close, but I have many happy memories of time spent together as a family, challenges completed and new places visited. We have visited the last of the Olympic gold postboxes, hunted for, and found, all 120 Shaun the Sheep sculptures, spent a week on the Isle of Man and have enjoyed many, many days out and about. There has been laughter, ice-cream, train rides, trips to the park and picnics in the sunshine. There have been lazy days at home, doing crafts or just sitting together and having snuggles. So many happy moments to look back on.

 

The end of summer - Little Hearts, Big Love

 

I may feel sad that the summer is coming to an end, but I know too that autumn will bring magical moments of its own – jumping in puddles, kicking piles of leaves, hunting for conkers and celebrating birthdays. No matter what the season, there are always memories to be made and beautiful moments to cherish.

16 thoughts on “The end of summer

  1. Don’t feel sad! You had some great adventures over the summer xx We’re actually looking forward to Autumn 🙂 It’s our favourite time of the year! #ShareWithMe x

  2. It is sad when the summer ends & the kids go back to school. I teared up Monday & again today dropping the boys off. After a few weeks, the fun change of Autumn will be here, as you said & that will bring new excitement #ShareWithMe x

    1. Thanks Becky – I think it is just that Autumn brings a lot of changes too and that takes a little time to adjust to x

  3. Tomorrow is going to be sad as the Tubblet starts Secondary school, but exciting at the same time due to th new possibilities and experiences that brings with it. Apart from getting up at 6am to make sure she’s on the bus and I’m at work on time. That’s a shocker!

    Hope Autumn brings good things with it for you and yours! #sharewithme

  4. I completely get how you’re feeling, I feel the same, especially as my little girl is starting school on Wednesday, and it seems like such a big milestone, and like time is passing way too fast. But don’t feel too sad – it looks like you really have made the most of the summer, and there are so many more memories together to come! My thoughts also for the looming heart surgery. Stay strong! x

  5. Ahhh so cute. Love the photos and hate saying goodbye to summer. It’s so sad. But glad you had a lovely one to remember. Thank you ever so much for linking up to Share With Me. I hope to see you again soon. I apologize for my late commenting, just catching up on a hectic week. I appreciate all the blog support. Look forward to reading more of your SWM link ups. #sharewithme

    1. Thank you Jenny – it is sad when summer comes to an end but lovely to look back on the memories too. Hope this week is less hectic for you.

  6. Such a lovely post. I totally, totally get where you’re coming from. I feel melancholy too at the end of summer. I try not to — particularly as I’ve had such a stark reminder recently to cherish the ordinary and make the most of every minute we’re lucky enough to have on earth — but I can’t help it. I always feel a little bit sad as I see it as the end of another year. Even though we’ve got months to go yet!! Beautiful pics of your lovely girls 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up with us #TwinklyTuesday

    Caro | http://www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk

    1. Thank you Caro, I know what you mean about seeing the summer as the end of the year, that’s how I tend to feel about it too x

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