Happy Labor Day!

Summer is the only season that is bracketed by holidays for most people in the U.S.: Memorial Day is the beginning and Labor Day is the end. And so - today is a closing for summer 2013. Swimming pools will be closing and schools have started.

The food we enjoy on Labor Day is often a celebration of the fruits of summer - corn on the cob, watermelon, tomatoes. And being outdoors to cook and eat is often part of the day. This year we are substituting cantaloupe for the watermelon…but the theme holds. I noticed that our neighborhood was noisy with lawn mowers and blowers on Saturday but was quiet on Sunday and Labor Day; we all got our chores done early and had two days to enjoy!

There is a psychology that is ingrained by the school calendar. It lingers long after we finish school - even after our responsibilities to get own children to school have ended. The ‘back to work’ focus of the time after Labor Day may last a lifetime. In my career I often thought September and October were my most focused and productive of the year. In 2013 I am reverting to a ‘school’ mentality and taking a lot of classes. Two are already underway and a third starts this week. Today I am savoring the calm before getting back into the flurry of academics.

Wishing everyone a happy Labor Day!