Admittedly, September snuck up on me. That sounds absolutely ridiculous since I follow my calendar daily. But nevertheless, here I am in shock that summer is behind us.

The end of summer brings a lot of feelings: sadness that the school break is over, happiness that the school break is over, wishing shorts weather would last a bit longer, excitement that fall weather will soon be here, and counting down to World Dairy Expo, to name a few. I do like the fresh start of a new season. It provides a feeling of new opportunity and excitement.

One of the reasons I am sad that summer is behind us lies in the fact that I had wanted to do ‘more’ in this past season. It’s not that I had free time in abundance, but rather I filled the windows I could have enjoyed with something I would consider productive. And, in reflection, most of those chores are a blur. The time still passed, and I now regret a bit how I spent it. I did the wrong type of ‘more’ — work instead of play.

This is part of my personality, and a characteristic of most farmers, but I know there are ways to spin it. We can plan in some fun. It’s not always easy to predict when an available window of time will appear, so having a go-to list of enjoyable activities (as opposed to a to-do list) is how I will help my future self.

I am just starting my list, and here are some of my ideas:

1. Go to World Dairy Expo!
2. Sit on the swing.
3. Take a walk with my 2-year-old. Let her do all the talking and noticing. I want to pay attention to her tiny hand wrapped around my finger.
4. Carve a pumpkin.

Something fun doesn’t have to be elaborate or require me to go anywhere; I just want it to be intentional and enjoyable. What would you add?

Erin Massey

The author grew up on a Florida dairy farm, obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of South Florida and has spent her career in dairy processing. She now serves as business development manager for North America with Bunge. Erin and her husband live in St. Louis, Mo., with their three children. Her personal mantra is “Be Bold.”