There goes May...

The merry month of May is just about half over. Graduation, the end of the school year, start of baseball and softball seasons are just days away.

From there, it's a quick slide to Memorial Day, the "unofficial" start of summer. Hang on, the rest of the month will be over before you know it.

It always seems to me that May is a month filled with transitions and transformations. Winter finally gives up, and the colors of spring are anxious to be seen once again. In just a few short days of warm weather, trees transform from buds to leaves. In life, we honor our mothers in May and go through the rituals associated with the end of the school year. Prom, graduation, the final concerts of the year, state track and golf -- all lead up to ending one phase of life and starting a new one. Every child (as well as the teachers) are anxious for the year to end and take a break.

But it usually isn't much of a break. The long, languid summers that many of us remember from our childhood are, for many, a thing of the past. Summertime in the 21st century is all about structure and maintaining routine. Baseball and softball, bible school, driver's education, summer camps and the fair consume much of June and July. With many schools pushing the start of school into the middle of August, that leaves a few weeks for "summer."

Perhaps this is a good thing. Maintaining a schedule and routine keeps families together and sharing a common bond in the evenings. The shared experiences with other families doing the same can create some new friendships.

But I always thought that the frenetic pace of May was the final release of energy from the school year and the Memorial Day holiday was a time to begin enjoying a more relaxed pace as a reward for surviving the month.

June and July held the promise of playing with neighborhood friends and playing pick up games of baseball, basketball, football or even kick the can. I doubt that kick the can is even a game that can be played today. Staying out at night, trespassing on private property to hide, potentially disturbing the peace with cheers and shouts of "1-2-3 on Jimmy" would make this game very politically incorrect today. I imagine you would even have trouble finding a can large enough to act as a respectable home base.

But the irony of the whole thing is striking. Kick the can is, in essence, the same game as capture the flag, which is incorporated into some of the more popular video and computer games. With the networking and online aspects of these games, players can play capture the flag with people from all over the world as easily as they can play with friends in the neighborhood.

So a virtual game of kick the can is much more likely to happen than an actual one. The argument can be made that this is safer, there are less chances that someone can get hurt and just as much fun can be had by all involved.

I can accept that, but with childhood obesity rates on the rise at levels some are calling epidemic, and a national pubic awareness campaign calling for children age 16 and under having an hour of physical activity a day, what is wrong with playing a real game outside?

There will be plenty of time to decide what games will be played in the months ahead. For the next few weeks, it will be all about pacing. The events will come fast and furious, and for those involved, I hope you can take the time to stop and enjoy the milestones you are passing.

May should be enjoyed, not dreaded, because it passes by so quickly.

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@lemarscomm.net, telephone 712-546-7031, x40 or toll free 1-800-728-0066 x40.

Thanks for reading, I'll keep in touch. Feel free to do the same.