Summer is my favorite season but September is my favorite month. There’s a subtle shift, a transition from summer to fall that is just magical. The lighting and the air ushers a new season and a sense of new beginnings. In some way September is not that different from the prior summer months. There is the benefit of relatively long, warm days. The sun is still high in the sky but the evenings tend to be a bit more pleasant for outdoor enjoyment. It’s not too hot and it’s far from being too cold, September is just right.

There also tends to be a return to routine and normalcy. Not everyone likes routine, but there’s something about routine that allows one to be a little more productive and purposeful. Vacations are over, kids are back in school and its time to transition to the last quarter of the year. The year is coming to a close and yet it really doesn’t feel that way. It feels like things are just getting started. Perhaps it is because summer is exiting and autumn is arriving all in the same month. There’s a bit of duality in September.

My first child was born on a beautiful September day. The majority of his birthday’s have been nothing short of spectacular.  Before he moved to North Carolina, we always celebrated his birthday at a beautiful Long Island beach. His beach birthday bashes became quite the event. It was the last summer hurrah for most of us. Each year as the end of summer approached, the anticipation of his birthday was on everyone’s radar. We became quite good at what to prepare and pack. The meal was basic, bagels and coffee for the early arrivers, followed by hamburger and hotdogs and of course a big pot of steamed clams, everyone’s favorite. Those were the good old days and I miss them.

I miss the days when we gathered as friends and families. It was a special time in our life. To date there hasn’t been anything that has come close to replace it, and maybe there never will but that doesn’t mean other memorable moments will not be in the future. Perhaps it requires some planning to create a memorable moment or perhaps as already mentioned, it’s okay to remember and reflect on days gone by with fondness and gratitude.

September is also a gather and prepare month. Gather the last crops and prepare for the winter months. For most of us “gather and prepare” has little implication to our lives but perhaps on some inner level it does. We may not be gathering crops but we gather thoughts and ideas. We may not prepare for the deep cold winters but we begin to prepare for the upcoming holidays and that is how we “gather”. Instead of gathering crops we gather people.

Before we gather people, let's gather some more thoughts. The word September comes from the Latin word septem, meaning “seven” which relates to the early Roman calendar. Even though September is the 9th month of our calendar it has characteristics of the number seven. Maybe this is where the September duality comes from? The number 7 has many meanings. In the Bible the number 7 refers to spiritual perfection. It also can mean seeker, thinker and truth. Perhaps that is how we tend to feel in September. Our mind is thinking and our spirit is seeking the truth. 

Wondering what you are thinking and how you feel in September? I’d love to hear from you.