Summer's Canceled, And It Sucks

When graduation and proms everywhere were called off, due to social distancing and quarantine, it was pretty awful. Online learning was kind of the worst, but I understood it was necessary.

But then summer got canceled, and that’s when I started to get sad.

So sad. You see, summer is the season that revitalizes me. Makes it so I can get through all those other seasons. The daily sunshine and chlorine recharge my battery and make me who I am.

But really, at the heart of summer is friends. Cookouts, campfires, pool time, late night movies in the yard, and just general camaraderie. Summer is about connecting with all your people and slowing down enough to enjoy yourselves.

Even summer’s holidays are all about the fun.

I mean, if you really think about it the only big holiday during summer is the Fourth of July and all we do on that day is eat yummy food and sit under the stars on blankets together.

But this year? This year we don’t get any of that. Every fireworks show I know about is canceled. The solstice is going to come and go at Stonehenge with nothing more than an online gathering.

And we are going to sit in our homes, away from our friends. Away from the companions and fun that summer bring. We are going to miss summer, and when it comes to kids, you don’t get that many.

I am trying to not be sad, trying to make the most of summer with my kid. But when they look at me and say. “I’m bored,” I just want to answer with, “Me too, kiddo. Me too.”

Maybe it will be enough to just lose summer. Maybe by the end of the season we will have some answers. Maybe when the leaves turn crisp and we get excited for PSL season again we won’t have as much to worry about.