The other day, on my Facebook I had asked a question that I thought would make a great blog topic. I had asked the other day, I had asked “What ways do you like to make memories during the various seasons?” A little further explanation into that is do you find yourself interacting more with your family and friends during the summer? Or do you find more interaction with family and friends around the holidays? For me really, it’s kind of a split. I really don’t take any particular part of the year to spend more time with the family than the other. To me, I think quality time with family and friends all year round is a great thing. For the summer months, I think it’s great because really it’s a little less confining and you don’t have to spend it in doors. I’ve got a lot more memories of the family during the summer now than I did before.
It’s funny that growing up as a kid all of those BBQ’s, and camping trips, and boating, and other various activities spent with the family were kind of a drag. I don’t think that many of us out there would argue that fact that as kids we often waited for the summer to roll around so we could sleep in, spend all of it with our friends, and essentially do whatever we wanted without the authority of a teacher being around us. With this in mind I created a bunch of memories with my friends growing up during the summer months. Again, the more clear ones are those spent during our years in transition between Junior High and High School. One of my fondest memories was that of co-authoring a book with a friend of mine during the summer months. I had come up with an idea for a book and I sent him the concept and some of the real skeletal structures of the story. He thought it was a great concept and we took turns authoring short stories back and forth to each other during the summer transitioning from Junior High to High School.
So that there is an only one example of how I have made some later memories in the summer months. With family it was a little bit different. Growing older, I’ve learned that really, you can’t have enough time with family and friends alike. Jobs, kids, and other responsibilities tend to get in the way. The moments that we can spend time together, especially in the summer months should be the most important. Some of the most recent and fondest memories I have with friends and family is that of small fire in a fire pit. Gathered round it in lawn chairs, benches, custom made chairs that if you sat wrong would completely fall apart underneath you. Watching the flames dance in the night, embers burning brightly at the base of the copper pan. Sometimes, the conversation seems to fall to one side or the other, and sometimes there is no conversation at all. It doesn’t always take the constant chatter of people to enjoy one another’s company. Sometimes I think, it’s just being together and being around each other that count.
The fire helps set the mood, and the setting for the night but what else? What about a purple sky with stars beginning to poke through the fabric of blue that was once day? Often times we have a radio setup outside. The sound of classic sounds from yester-year drifting out slowly from the speakers as again the family and friends sit in silence. Sometimes it might be the beach boys, sometimes; it’s the Doobie Brothers, Sometimes its Billy Joel and his piano. It is always a very relaxing setting after a great BBQ and a day full of work. Story swapping that, no matter how many times before you may have heard it; the story is just as amusing as it was the first time that you heard it. It’s never long enough it seems as the hours and the time seem to slip away. Escaping with those around you for a good couple of hours before reality comes back and reminds everyone that those duties we tend to every day will be back again tomorrow. I always get a little bit depressed and sad when these kinds of things have to come to an end, but I always look forward to the next night we get to spend together. Whether it’s in a yard or out camping under the stars and admiring those summer nights and memories being made are always unbeatable.
The winter, well the winter can be just as good as the summer. Granted, the conditions are a little blustier, a little colder, and you aren’t able to do as much. But, in the same instance it’s almost the exact same thing. All you’ve done is taken your fire pit that you have outside and have moved it inside (if you are lucky enough to have an indoor fireplace). Great meals still can be enjoyed with family, choice beverages of the season can be shared, and then of course you have the music to add to the event. I have found though that in the winter months and having house guests something a little easier listening is something I keep nearby. In the summer months it’s wonderful to listen to the oldies music outside enjoying the summer nights as it’s cooling off around you. But with house guests and a little more confined space it’s nice to put a little easier listening music on in the background so you aren’t having to scream out over the Big bopper or other classic singers of yester-year in conversation. The weather outside is also what makes the events. We’ve hosted a few parties with the snow falling outside and it just adds to the atmosphere of whatever is going on around you. The winter is a great time to get together with family and friends as with the holidays and the meaning of the holidays. But, do people feel obligated to spend time with their families as those holidays approach? I’d hope not. My holiday season is a bit more complex and a little bit different as my brother passed a few days before Christmas. The family though I think on both sides has always gone out of our way to spend time with each other more-so during the holiday season but we try to get together more as well with the summer months.
The stress of the holidays to may put people a little more anxious and stressed than great summer night.
So, I guess after blogging this, it seems that I favor having summer get togethers than I do winter. Maybe it’s because you don’t feel as guilty or like you are committed during the summer because there aren't any major holidays that surround it. The most important thing though is spending time with one another. It seems that these years are going by faster and faster. That with the way the world works right now is that everyone is having to work more, and spend less time with family and friends. Don’t let this overtake you and keep you from your family. They are just as important and just as needed. Spend as much time with them as you possibly can. Because I have found out through the hard way tomorrow is never guaranteed. Please don’t forget to follow me on Facebook and Twitter. You can find me on Facebook by typing into the search bar, “Author Grayson Michaels”, or you can find me on Twitter at @GraysonMichaels. Don’t forget to leave a comment on which time of season you enjoy more to spend together with family and friends! Have a good day.
