There is a Season

Here we are, the day after Labor Day. There is a photo that circulates social media around these parts that shows a beautiful fall scene; trees with brightly colored leaves of yellow, orange, and red. In the photo there is a meandering pathway through the trees with a few fallen leaves on it. On the top of the photo the caption reads “Its October in Texas, you know what that means…” and on the bottom of the photo it continues, “Absolutely Nothing.”

The North Texas humor in the caption is that we really don’t have the fall season like our northern friends. Sure, we have a season of cooler temps, shorter days, and colorful trees, however, it arrives in late November or early December. You see, the seasons around here don’t happen in well-defined, three-month increments like they do on the meteorological calendar.

The extended spring-summer-fall season starts in about March and extend through November. It's so elongated that holidays such as Memorial Day and Labor Day don’t carry the seasonal urgency that they do in Minnesota. 

I remember the first few weeks we lived in Texas, our ministry organized an outreach on the Saturday of Memorial Day. I thought that was complete foolishness and I voiced my opinion. “Who would come to an outreach on Memorial Day weekend??!!” I was quickly re-educated on my geographic culture and learned that people in these parts don’t make the same kind of out-of-town plans that my fellow Minnesotans do. Sure enough, people were still “in town” and plenty of people showed up to the outreach.

Similarly, we just experienced Labor Day weekend come and go with little fanfare. There is no State Fair to wrap up (the TX State Fair runs for a whole month), people weren’t rushing to the lake to bring in the docks or close up the cabins for the winter, and school started two weeks ago so few people were trying to cram in last minute family time. The long weekend just came and went. 

A little fun in the rain on Saturday morning 

All of this is fine as we find fun ways to mark the long weekends, remember our fallen soldiers and give thanks for those who have helped create good working environments. What we do miss, however, is the marking of the season. Because there is not much cultural difference between the Friday before Labor Day and the Tuesday after we tend to forget about it. And, the weather is the same today as it was on the fourth of July and it will be next week. Yes, we will gradually cool from the mid-to-high 90’s to the mid-to-high 80’s over the next several weeks but we will be experiencing summer for the next couple of months.

Without the deep cultural or drastic meteorological changes in the season, we find ourselves forgetting what season it really is. We also find it difficult to get into the spirit of the season. 

It reminds me of the advice that Erica’s parents gave us just before we had Nicole. Regarding raising children, they encouraged us to slow down and enjoy every moment, every season. We have really tried to do that with both Nicole and Jonah. It is difficult as they get older and life moves faster. We are really forced to check ourselves into the season at hand so that we don’t forget the season we came from, or the season we are heading into. I’m afraid that if we just move from day, to day, to day without marking the season, we will loose track of what season we are in and fully embracing and enjoying it. 

For us, in Texas, we have to look for new markers to know when its turning fall. Thank goodness that we have the pumpkin spice craze to remind us of what season is coming. 

Speaking of seasons, one of the best markers of this season for me is that seven years ago yesterday (the Tuesday after Labor Day) Erica responded to a text of mine asking if she wanted to go out to eat. She said YES and so would be the would be the start of our very first season together. I remember it well. 

October may mean absolutely nothing for people living in North Texas. But, September means a whole lot to those living in the Carlson Family.

Our First Gala Together - a perk of my former job! 

Shawn