The Sound Of Summer

This year's was kind of a "lost" summer for me. I made the best of any time I had, but it passed me by for the most part.

I think what I miss most when summer ends, is the crickets. Their chirping has been the background sound of some of the best times of my life. I've had some of the most intimate, wonderful conversations with the Cricket Orchestra providing the soundtrack.

I think of times with my children. I'd have one of them on my lap, sitting out, under the stars, sharing the world with them in private, hushed conversations. Listening to the many questions, seeing things again for the first time through their eyes.

Knowing that I needed to be careful with my answers, because I was Daddy, and anything I said would be treated as truth. There's just something special about a summer night, and most of my life's cherished memories took place then. Those are times you lock into your heart, and hopefully hold on to forever, because you don't get them back to do over. And it's amazing how much peace you can find within that noise.

I've had my heart broken, and at times have had my world changed, not always for the better, all while sitting out on some deck, some patio, listening to the sounds of the summer night. There's just something that happens; people let their guards down, and you can share some secrets, hopes, dreams, that somehow don't seem to come out as freely in other times of the year. All with the music of the night being provided by those crickets.

But, they'll be back again. And this time I'll be ready.