By Jan Penton-Miller
Columnist

Late September time seems to speed up. With the coming of fall there are so many fun things to look forward to, and it comes right on the heels of the other. 

It’s always challenging to enjoy the season at hand without giving way to the temptation to rush right into the next thing.     

This year I plan to enjoy each holiday to the fullest and savor the sights, smells, and sounds that come along with each one. I’ve been burning a pumpkin spice candle this morning while I enjoyed my coffee. 

I know people from northern climes probably get a chuckle from the way we Deep South folks celebrate when the low temps hit the 80s.     

It’s cause for celebration when we can take a walk without getting overheated. My faithful little dachshund loves the cooler temps and is certainly walking with more pep in her step.

This time of year I begin to think of the many happy hours spent on my grandparent’s farm. It didn’t have to be any special occasion for the old farmhouse to practically burst with grandchildren running to and fro. 

It’s a wonder the screen doors didn’t fall from their hinges as they creaked and groaned with amazing frequency, but my Mamaw only smiled a contented smile as if she knew a secret.     

She happily listened to the noise and never worried over the dirt on the floor that we all tracked in. Her secret is one that many become aware of with the passing of time. 

Childhood is fleeting and should be cherished. My youngest grandson just had a birthday and is officially a teenager. I, like most parents and grandparents, take a breath at this juncture and wonder where my little fella has gone.     

I remember getting my first glimpse of him and the way my heart felt as if it would burst from my chest. I also remember feeling sorrow that his Pop Pop was only seeing the moment from heaven if he did indeed see us.      

So now he’s a teenager, but he is still that same sweet, funny guy he has always been. I won’t grieve over the passing of his childhood, but will embrace all the fun years ahead watching him grow into a young man with dreams and plans all his own. 

No matter how old Gauge gets he will always be Gigi’s little man.

Write to Jan Penton-Miller at jpentonauthor@gmail.com.