Endless Summer

I was reminded recently, by a couple of different people, that yesterday was Labour Day in North America. It’s not celebrated in Papua New Guinea, so it wasn’t something I even thought about. It actually made me realize that we are living in an endless summer.

Between Paris and Port Moresby, Lori and I have experienced a very hot and sunny summer and it felt normal to us. Drinking our morning coffee on the balcony, swimming in the afternoon and grilling our supper on the barbecue are all normal summer activities we’ve done our entire lives. That should be changing now, but it’s not. I’ve always viewed Labour Day as the unofficial end to summer. Nights get shorter, mornings are cooler, leaves start changing colour, but not here. Summer just keeps rolling on. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I should be happy that I can still wear shorts and flip-flops, but I enjoy change as well. I’ve always been someone who’s thought ‘This is nice, but what’s next?’

Growing up in northern climate, like the one we have in Canada, you come to appreciate the short growing season. You have to enjoy it while it lasts because it will soon be gone. Every month there is something new to look forward to. Berries in May, asparagus in June, tomatoes in July, corn in August and apples in September. Now the only thing I have to look forward to is rain. I am told that in a couple of months the rainy season will begin and I can expect periods where it rains non-stop for 3 or 4 days at a time. I’m sure by then I’ll be longing for the dry season but regardless, I’ll still be wearing shorts and flip-flops.

db