Do Y'all Have This Problem?

I was helping DoodleBug fold her laundry the other day and I came across a pair of what used to be white 'biker' shorts- you know, spandex leggings in the form of shorts. I commented, "Been wearing these much?" And laughed. Oh, she still wears them alright. And she's had them since she played softball. When she was 10. Are you kidding me?

I asked her whether or not she had others. She does. Several pair. She wears these under her shorts while playing Ultimate Frisbee. But she still has and wears the ones she wore over a decade ago. Why?

I think it has something to do with nostalgia.

I have a few things that I keep for no other reason than they belonged to someone close to me or they remind me of some wonderful memory of my childhood.

I tend towards old movies because the actors or the movies themselves remind me of my grandparents or the good things about growing up. I even get sad when an actor of that time passes on.

There are songs on my various playlists that take me right back to those same wonderful memories.

Even a sound or smell can take me back. And I am so grateful for that. I relish those memories. They keep me close to my grandparents, even though they've been gone for a long time now.

Sometimes, my nostalgia overwhelms me and makes me long for days long gone by. But even when it does that, it's not a bad thing. I quite appreciate my nostalgic moments.

Right now, they are taking me back to the long, lazy days of summer...

• the sound of the window fan in my bedroom at night lulling me to sleep with it's soft humming
• the sound of the cicadas singing as we ran around the yard chasing lightning bugs
• the sound from the neighborhood pool- kids having fun- laughing, squealing, splashing-- 'Marco!' 'Polo!'
• the sound of the screen door slamming
• the lawn mower, barking dogs, rain beating against the house, the ice cream truck...

When school starts back, and the weather finally starts to cool just a bit, I'll be transported back to my own school days and the glorious fall season that I loved so much. And still do. Some things never change.

Every season brings a revisit to my childhood. A revisit to the childhood of the lovelies. And a brand new opportunity to make new memories.

Where do your summer memories take you?






..