Seasons are a changin', but I'm not

Some people always choose the truth. But sometimes truth is overrated. Sometimes, I choose denial because it is more fun that way.

I am currently denying that summer ended on Labor Day. I'm simply not ready for it to end. Since I have nearly majored in denial for a lifetime, I have decided to live my life as if summer has not ended.

I shall continue to enjoy the season as if I make the rules. I shall continue to dine al fresco, wear white with impunity, and watch the fireworks where ever I find them.

I shall bask in the sunshine, go swimming until it's unhealthy to do so, and drink obsecene amounts of lemonade (perhaps a few margaritas).

I shall go to amusement parks, eat candy apples, and seek invitations to cook outs where I'll get some good barbequed chicken.

I shall enjoy summer salads full of fresh produce, watch with anticipation as my butter melts atop my corn on the cob, and consume watermelon with passion and vigor. I won't even bother to wipe the juice from my chin until I'm all done.

I shall continue to revel in my summer fling. I'll relish kisses under the stars and stolen glances under the moonlight. I will pretend as if it is a new romance that has all of the potential of Memorial Day and all of the excitement of the Fourth of July.

I shall dine on my patio and appreciate the constant sound of the invisible, but noisy, crickets.

I shall take long weekends, eat outside, and read a book under a tree.

I shall invite my girlfriends to go on a trip to some spa or exotic place where we can create memories to inspire us all year long. Together we shall ignore convention and the calendar and declare "viva summer!"--well at least until it becomes grossly unfashionable.

I shall end my summer like I began it, committed to extracting every bit of joy out of every day.

I believe that Summer is a state of mind and not confined by the calendar. It symbolizes relaxation, romance, and vacation. Those are some of the sweetest things that life has to offer. I don't think that there's anything at all wrong with wanting to extend it. Do you?!