Summer Time

by GW Lehtinen

Oh, how summer brings back so many memories!

One of the first memories I recently had came after watching high school students burst out of the parking lot just like I used to. There was one word that every student seemed to be feeling… FREEDOM!

However, the reality of life settled on me like a ton of bricks. Let me explain. Once you have “free time,” you quickly realize it isn’t really free. You have a car? Great… but now you have responsibilities. A car means gas, maintenance, insurance, and repairs. Before long, you realize you need a job just to keep it on the road.

Recently, I watched juniors, seniors, and newly graduated students come to work, and the expressions on their faces said it all. It was a sober reminder that every one of us eventually discovers the same truth: life comes with responsibilities. Whether you’re young or old, those responsibilities become part of who you are.

You might think I’ve drifted away from the fun summer memories, but actually, it’s quite the opposite. Working during the summer before the next school year was simply expected. Most of us remember the excitement of receiving that first paycheck after flipping burgers, helping customers, stocking shelves, or turning wrenches under someone’s vehicle. You earned every dollar. Along the way, you were building a work ethic, developing self-esteem, and discovering the satisfaction that comes from accomplishing something on your own.

Without a job, I honestly don’t think we would fully appreciate how valuable our free time really is. Sure, we didn’t necessarily dream of working in fast food or wherever we happened to be employed, but we understood that work was part of growing up. We were contributing, learning responsibility, and earning the freedom to enjoy our time off.

And when that free time finally arrived, the possibilities seemed endless. There were trips to the beach, camping weekends, fishing, hunting, cruising around town, shopping, or catching a movie or a concert. It was our chance to shed the responsibilities of adulthood, even if only for a day or a weekend. I don’t think that feeling ever really leaves us. Even as adults, we still look forward to vacations, long weekends, and those precious moments of downtime between the demands of work and everyday life.

My son recently told me he was focused on keeping his job, and unfortunately, that meant sacrificing time with his friends until school started again. I smiled because I remembered making the very same decision. So did many of my friends, teammates, and classmates.

My daughter shared a different lesson. She talked about how quickly she had to learn to be punctual, polite, professional, and mature. Working alongside friends sounded exciting at first, but it quickly became a double-edged sword. She discovered that some of those “friends” didn’t show up on time, didn’t pull their weight, and left others to pick up the slack. Tasks were left unfinished, customers became frustrated, and she eventually realized these weren’t the kinds of people she wanted to be associated with in the workplace.

I told her that, while disappointing, it was also one of life’s valuable lessons. Throughout life, she’ll meet people with strong work ethics and others who simply don’t have one. Learning the difference is part of growing up.

When the workday ended, though, I noticed both of my kids seemed to decompress and return to being the sweet, kind young adults I knew. It reminded me of my own teenage years with my sisters.

I clearly remember my father working twelve-hour overnight shifts for the Department of Corrections. He would walk through the front door just as my sisters and I were getting ready for school. His presence alone commanded respect because we knew how hard he worked. Even then, I understood that adulthood came with sacrifices and responsibilities.

When my sisters and I began working summer jobs, I think both of my parents were genuinely proud to see us becoming busier and more responsible. Even as a teenager, I remember thinking that I would cherish every moment of free time because Monday always seemed to be just around the corner.

That free time became something to celebrate. My friends and I always had some kind of adventure planned, no matter where we were going, what the weather was like, or how much money we had. Before high school, summer was all about play, play, and more play. But once those summer jobs arrived, everything changed.

Looking back, I truly believe those high school summers shaped us into productive adults. They taught us responsibility, strengthened our work ethic, and helped us mature. Most importantly, they taught us that the best moments of summer weren’t simply given to us—they were earned. And somehow, that made them even sweeter.