Labor Day Is An Eeyore Holiday
Labor Day is the Eeyore of holidays. No one complains when they see the vacation day coming any more than they dislike that cuddly character from Winne the Pooh, but in both cases there's something undeniably sad when it arrives.
If Labor Day were a person, it would be the lifeguard with the whistle yelling at everyone...
"Get out of the pool! Summer fun is over! Pack up the sunscreen, put away the grill, forget about pretty toes. Time to go home!!"
Wawawa...
How could it possibly be fall again? How could we have notched another summer on our belts? What can I do to pay more attention and be more present in the months ahead?
I was comparing notes with my sister-in-law, Leesa, about our respective fall calendars. She mentioned an upcoming activity for her girls, and I asked her for a specific date.
"Oh, I'm not sure," she said, "it's happening October soon."
I love that shorthand.
The statement is not merely descriptive of the speed of life, but just grammatically disjointed enough to stop me in my tracks.
(For those of you who enjoy grammar, technically "soon" is an adverb that should modify a verb, as in "we are leaving soon." In this case, however, "soon" acts like an adjective. But I digress...)
What if we described other events in a similar way?
Looking back, it's been "Summer quick" and moving forward it's gonna be "Thanksgiving speedy" or "Christmas rushed."
I wonder if I had to assign a pace to the events of the calendar, would I be more conscious about soaking in the moments of that season?
Instead of seeing Labor Day as Eeyore, I'm going to try to re-frame the holiday as a reminder to breathe deeply and be present in the moments I have in front of me.
To be thankful for shorter days and more opportunities to light candles. To appreciate apples and winter food that make life a little more savory. To bring out the blankets, snuggle up with the family, and enjoy whatever football game is on at the moment.
Today is a great reminder that seasons fly by, so pay attention before "Life swiftly" disappears.