Just being September brings on that giddiness one experiences from the anticipation of fall approaching! The cooler temperatures really amp up the eagerness to enjoy the crisp autumn smells and the cool, comfortable weather. It is also the beginning of the holiday season; the changing colors move us in the direction of the orange pumpkins of Halloween straight into the palette of Thanksgiving colors that shades into the holly jolly reds and greens that are prevalent during the Christmas season.
It is just a good time of the year to enjoy, and this year, especially, we need to reach out and consciously grab and savor the good times! This time of the year caters to our five senses as we breathe in all the pumpkin spice and everything nice, along with the yummy snacks, chili, stew, and other cool weather goodies. The colors delight the eyes and the breeze in the trees soothes our cochlear nerve.
Another great thing about this time of year is the bringing out and dusting off of family traditions. These are the things that we do every year to celebrate family and holidays. These are the things that we speak of when remembering, recollecting, and reminiscing about our growing up years. These are the things that children remember fondly and continue them for their own families years later. These traditions make awesome memories that are never forgotten.
It is never too late to start a tradition. Whether it is an event, a game night, a specific getaway destination, or a weekly reading evening. Picture it now, the house smelling of your favorite foods wafting through on the breeze from the open windows. All cell phones and other devices are out of reach and forgotten as a new book is started. Maybe a classic or a mystery? There are no interruptions as each chapter is read with enthusiasm and fervor! Then comes the begging to continue when it is time to put the book away for bedtime, after, of course, allowing ample time for discussion.
If it is already one of your traditions, let us know if we can help you find a book to please all of your listeners. If you would like to start a book reading tradition, we would love to help you find the perfect book to launch your tradition. Also, said with a southern slant, we all would like to wish y’all a happy fall!
While hop-skipping through Facebook, I stopped to read a post by Brian Withrow. I always like talking with him and enjoy his relaxed manner of speech. He does a couple of sessions for the summer reading program and I’m always amazed how he can keep a room full of children buzzing around busy as bees while teaching them about the honey-producing insects. The thing that is really crazy is all the places he has gone and all the things he has done. He just isn’t the type of guy that toots his own horn, but I have run onto numerous Brian Withrow facts while doing research on other things! Now he lives here in our county and serves the northern part of the county in the position of president of the USD 254 school board. One of the points Brian made in his post was that we all have the tendency to gravitate towards the information the media is reporting that best reflects our beliefs, which unfortunately may exclude some important truths.