It seems to me that it’s always Christmas or the 4^th of July.  And so it is, another 4^th of July. When the 4^th gets here it’s an indication that the summer is half way over (in between Memorial Day and Labor Day).  My head spins at how fast the summer comes and goes each year.

I have mixed emotions about the 4^th of July and the days surrounding it.  As I write this, it is actually July 5.  The day we laid my father to rest 27 years ago when he was but 62 years old, much too young.  And so the hot, oppressive days of mid-summer always bring a stirring of sadness, although I have put aside the deep grief that used to haunt me regarding my father’s suicide.   Now I am more likely to celebrate my father’s life and the great influence he had on my own life and who I am as a person.

But, I do like summer. The sunshine brings me happiness and joy, as I am a total curmudgeon in the wintertime. I just feel better in the summertime.

Over the holiday weekend Papa and I took six-year-old Breezy to Legoland Discovery Center at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. It was a surprise.  She tried to guess where we were going.  “Are we going to watch a ballgame?”  “Are we going to check into a hotel?”  “Are you going to buy me that camper I want?” (a Barbie camper). “Are we going to a mall?”  No, no, no, yes.

She was excited to be a Legoland, although after going to Six Flags and Disney, Legoland is hardly a huge treat. But, it was something different and she had a good time.  Afterwards, we spent some time in the store and $76 on Legos.

We went just across the way to Johnny Rockets to eat lunch at the counter.   Papa decided to hang out there while we went back into Legoland to play a bit more.  Then we went exploring in the mall.  We entered into a store that looked interesting to Breezy.   She found all manner of things that were of interest to her.   She selected a box of six “surprise” Disney figurines from the movie “Finding Dory” and announced that she wanted all six of them.  “No, we’re not getting anything else.”  She cried “real” tears and said how unfair it was because she’d been looking for these for a long time.

I said, “How much of your Legos are you willing to give up?” She thought for only a split second and said, “All of it!”  She swiped her hands wide and across each other, as if a referee calling “safe.”  “OK, let’s go,” I replied.  I asked the woman at the counter to hold on to the box of boxes for me.  We travelled up one flight on the escalator, went back to the Lego store and returned all $76 of the Legos.  She didn’t bat an eye.

We bought the Disney characters. On the way home she opened the boxes.  She got two Dory’s, two Nemo’s, a Pearl, and a Mr. Stingray.  She said, “I’m proud of the characters I got.”

Two days later she saw “Finding Dory” for the first time.   I hope her characters mean all the more to her now that she’s seen the movie.

Sometimes little ones make my heart ache because they get so hurt by things. They want so much and don’t understand the value of a dollar.  I was super proud of Breezy for her willingness to trade for what she wanted and to be so grown up about it.   I hope she will enjoy her Dory characters for a long time to come.  At least until Christmas.  It will be here before you know it.  Because, it’s always the 4^th of July or Christmas.

Does it seem like it’s always the 4th or Christmas to you?  If not, does time seem to fly?  What events or holidays do you mark time by?

dmzh