By Lori Welch Brown

As you read this, I’ll likely be in celebration mode as it’s the birthday month. Yes—that’s right. I plan to celebrate the entire month. Not because I think I’m that special, but because at this stage of my life, I look for reasons to eat cake and light candles and kick my heels up. And actually, it’s my and XXL’s anniversary also so a double whammy.

But hey—just because it’s not your birthday, anniversary or Arbor Day, don’t fret. September has you covered. September is a reason to celebrate in its own right. It’s a month of change—a month of new beginnings as we say goodbye to summer and the dog days of August and launch off into a new chapter. Perhaps it’s sending the kids off to high school or college. Or maybe it’s going back into the office after vacation or signing up for a new class. Whichever direction you’re headed, you get to step into it with a new attitude.

Since I was a kid, I’ve viewed September as the month of fresh starts and new beginnings. It was a chance to re-invent myself in some ways. After a summer of time away from school friends, I could emerge from my sand-crusted cocoon, spread my wings, and fly into the classroom with a whole new style and attitude. Of course, my classmates would notice how the summer had matured me and bestowed a beautiful glow upon my freckled cheeks. They’d notice how I carried myself differently—more like Brooke Shields and less like Pippi Longstocking. They’d notice how I’d discarded my Hong Kong Phooey lunch box in favor of a smart brown pleather number with a shoulder strap and matching thermos. They’d notice how my acne scars had faded and new beauty marks had appeared in their place.

You probably figured out by the Pippi Longstocking reference that I’m not a millennial. Although I know who Taylor Swift is—I couldn’t name three of her songs if you dangled a shopping spree to Comfort Zone Shoes as a prize. And for some reason I keep referring to Bunny Man Brewery as Bad Bunny even though I know Bad Bunny is a singer, but I think Bad Bunny is a better name for a brewery than a Cuban rapper. So, in other words, I am seasoned and wise—and getting wiser by the day.

As a matter of fact, I’ll be celebrating—God willing—my last year as a fifty-something. Yes—that’s right, when I have to check the box for my demographic, I’ll have to scroll down another notch. But you know what? I’m simultaneously okay with that and freaked out by it. I am generally okay with aging because I know it beats the alternative. I also know that it’s on me to take care of myself—like really take care of myself now because I’m entering the age of “you can’t keep procrastinating.” It’s go time or it’s no time.

So that freaks me out a bit. When I think about how quickly the past decade has flown by, I get heart palpitations. It seems like just yesterday that I met my husband XXL and we were exchanging vows. My dad has been gone five years. How in God’s name has it been five years already? It seems like just yesterday we were sitting around my dining room table laughing because when I asked him how he liked his dinner, he replied, “It’s something to eat.”

When you’re younger, you have all the time in the world. As you age, you realize just how precious time is and you don’t want to waste a second of it. That’s why it’s important to rid yourself of energy vampires and time sucks. I read something the other day that there’s now data available that most people in their lifetime will spend an average of twenty years looking at their phone screens. That is astonishing and sad. Think about what you could do with twenty years. Write a book? Book your own ERAS tour? Run twenty marathons? The possibilities are endless.

I’ve written about this before (because I’m older and like to repeat myself), but for those of you who think January is the time for fresh starts, you’re wasting a valuable opportunity—not to mention wasting time. September is a fabulous time to set new resolutions and goals. Trying to shed a few pounds? Start in September! By the time the holidays roll around, you’ll already have the momentum and motivation to ‘just say no’ to that extra helping of mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie being thrust upon you. When everyone else is dragging their over-indulged and under-exercised bodies to the gym in January, you’ll be there to greet them with kettle bells on. And let’s face it, no one is motivated to do much of anything in January beyond sleep, eat, shop after Christmas sales, and watch reruns of Dateline.

September is the month of chasing clouds away as we dance in the night and remember how the stars stole the night away…oh yeah, September. I adore you. And I’ll happily dance the night away as long as the night ends at 9:00 pm.

About the Author: Lori is a local writer, painter and pet lover who loves to share her experiences and expertise with our readers. She has been penning a column for the OTC for over 20 years. Please follow Lori online on Medium for more missives like this.