Memorial Day weekend is coming up and it’s time to get ready for summer. I’ve already fired up the barbecue grill a couple times over the past few weeks to get in the spirit of things. I have overheard girls talking about the ability to wear white shoes again. The National Basketball Association playoffs are in full swing – it’s down to the final four teams. With the exception of a little wind, it’s perfect golfing weather. School is ending for the young people and the beaches are beginning to fill up with sun-lovers. Clearly, this time of year has something for everyone.
It’s important to sense the seasonal shift, even if Southern California doesn’t provide a dramatic change of seasons. There seems to be something inherent in our own nature that feels a change, even if the weather and the foliage don’t necessarily reflect it. Sure, to some degree the natural environment is undergoing a gradual change, but those feelings we describe as “Spring Fever” seem much more drastic by comparison.
It seems that many people feel the need to travel or explore about this time each year. Maybe it is because the religious holidays, with all their seriousness, are behind us and it is now time for the secular holidays – holidays that are about celebrating our country and our freedom. I must applaud whoever it was that designed the holiday calendar as we know it. During the cold winter months, we tend to honor holidays that require sober reflection and contemplation of ethereal matters. But come the sun and the warm days of summer, our holidays are much more about enjoyment and celebration.
Ballgames, barbecues and beer – this is the trinity of the season. The Indy 500 – a national holiday for many – is just around the corner. Whether you’re a race fan or not, I invite you to celebrate the joy of the season by watching a bunch of guys (and gals) drive in circles, with the knowledge that you don’t have to be one of them. Not on Memorial Day.
For those of you working Memorial Day, my condolences.
