September Nostalgia

As a young girl living on the farm in Missouri, September was a very busy time. My grandmother, Clementine, would refer to this time as “buttoning up” for winter. Of course there was canning to do, especially applesauce, of which we had an abundance. We had to prepare foods for the root cellar that would see us through the winter and the variety of foods reminded us that the time for fresh summer produce had passed.

In the evenings, we were usually gathered around the radio, sitting on cushions and absorbed in our favorite programs, like Fibber McGee and Molly, Sky King, Jack Benny, The Bickersons—I could go on and on with a long list of programs that were the reward for a long day, but I’ll save that for another time.

In those days, school began the day after Labor Day. This was always a time of anticipation, as we considered ourselves to be more sophisticated for moving the next year forward. There were always the new pens, pencils, notebooks, and course books for each class. And it was the beginning of sports season, which often meant nighttime events under stadium lights and meeting up with friends. I must say it was a very sweet time.

As we move through life, it’s easy to lose sight of how simplistic it can be. And yes, the work was more time consuming without all the modern technology and machinery of today, and the ease of getting the job done does give us more free time. But I will always be so grateful in my heart for the nostalgic feelings when I remember days before computers, cell phones, and television. There was a very different ambiance to life that was quieter and more peaceful. This does not mean we didn’t have worries, of course we did. But we also had this amazing natural feeling—life was very organic. We walked most places, didn’t talk on the phone unless needed, did our homework with paper and pen, wrote letters instead of texting, and in general were not often bored. I guess I could say that we were with each other as a family and didn’t need distractions. Creativity was also very abundant in our family, as it was a form of entertainment. That creativity could be inventing a game, creating a new recipe, sewing a new skirt, or writing a poem or short story.

September has always made me nostalgic, as my memories seem to arise with the changing of the seasons. I would say that these memories awaken in me the gratitude I have for having been blessed with living in the time and ages past and present… watching the parade of life go by and experiencing the changes that are inevitable. Life is a very precious journey, and I wish you all a wonderful September.