Loving September

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” As you read these seven words, I’m guessing you hummed the Edward Pola and George Wyle tune, first sung by Andy Williams in 1963. While many consider the season of kids jingle-belling to be the most wonderful of all, I’m not ready for Christmas to be upon us yet. Instead, I’m casting my vote for an Ohio September as the most wonderful time of the year.

Why? It’s September, and if my children were younger, I’d admit that shipping them off to school each day brought a semblance of calm and order to my life after long summers punctuated by the words of the familiar refrain: “There’s nothing to do.” While the carefree days of summer have their place, the return of a daily rhythm is a gift to parents.

It’s September, and the Cleveland Indians are playing some good baseball, having won five of their last seven games. While the odds aren’t great for them to play in October, there is still that statistical possibility, and we continue to hope that a couple of other teams will fall apart.

We made our first and last visit of the year to Progressive Field this week, spending six hours at the ballpark as the Tribe came up with two wins on a chilly afternoon. My commitment to avoid wearing socks until October was strongly tested, but my toes survived the challenge. I’ll be sad when the radio voices of Tom Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus are silenced again until April.

It’s September, a month marking the return of football. I must have been born with a football-watching genetic marker, for I’ve been a fan from an early age. Many years as band parents ingrained our Friday night activity patterns, so when the Arrows are home, we head to Community Stadium. Here’s a suggestion for the powers-that-be: reduce the size of the reserved seat section, as the cheers of the crowd would be more effective without the large patches of empty seats in the middle of the bleachers. Just saying . . . Go Arrows!

We’re hooked on the Ashland University football games as well, and had a great time at the recent home opener under the lights. I always jump at the first few cannon blasts of the year, but we’re glad when the artillery has plenty of work. Here’s hoping the AU Eagles have a successful season, as I’m afraid our Buckeyes may have rough going this year.

What can I say about the “not-for-profit” NFL? I’m long over the awe I experienced when meeting the Buffalo Bills’ Cookie Gilchrist in person at the age of nine, having talked my way into a father-son banquet at church. Between the Bills and the Browns, my winning percentage has been pitiful in recent years, and I’m tempted each September to ignore the call of the gridiron and spend my Sunday afternoons in other endeavors – naps come to mind. Yet somehow, I get roped in one more time, as this may be the year they’ll go all the way, or at least win more than they lose. While I know Mary Shelley wasn’t thinking about football, the author of Frankenstein recognized the truth of September: “The beginning is always today.”

If the world of sports in September is depressing, residents of Ashland County have one consolation: it’s September, and the fair is in full swing tomorrow. I can’t wait to take the lovely Madelyn Simone for our annual visit, viewing the perfectly groomed animals, riding the rides across the midway, and consuming fair food to my heart’s content. No calorie counting during fair week.

For thirty-five years, my Septembers were filled with planning for the ramped-up activity associated with a Salvation Army Christmas. With that particular responsibility removed from my plate, I’ve discovered that September is quite a good month of its own. I haven’t read Jerry Spinelli’s book, “Love, Stargirl,” but as the days of September drop like leaves from the trees around us, his words ring true: “Live today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today. Inhabit your moments. Don’t rent them out to tomorrow.” Here’s wishing you a great September!