I am ready for spring and summer.

Yes I am well aware it’s January 7^th, but I also know the days are getting longer and spring and summer are on the horizon. Okay, the horizon is far off but I like to think about it.

Glen Ellyn in the spring and summer takes on a completely different life for me; since I am not a winter kind of person, perhaps I am missing something by not walking outside, skating on Lake Ellyn when it freezes over, or visiting a dog park so our dog can have a romp with other pups.

So if it’s okay with the readers of “Our Town,” I would like to move ahead 4 or so months and think about what’s ahead.

One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday is to go to a sporting event at Ackerman or one of the other local parks; I have kids so soccer has become part of “what we do.” For some reason, and I suspect it’s because my kids are younger, the games usually are not accommodating for those who would like to sleep in. It seems 9AM is a very popular time slot for our games---we deal with it.

One of the best things about organized sports in Glen Ellyn is…they are organized. It’s a lot different than when I grew up; sure they were organized---sort of. But the devotion of the parents who make a commitment to the sport, whether it’s soccer, softball, baseball or the other countless sports, they have the passion and the desire to help mold some very fine athletes.

But it’s more than the sport.

In addition to watching the games, you have the opportunity to meet people who you probably would never have met. It’s a ritual. You see them at practice, then at games, and friendships develop; ones that do not end when the season does or your future athlete decides he or she is not going to be playing in the NFL, MLB, NHL, MSL, etc. For us parents, this is a great way to make the community a much better place to live and make friends for life.

But what happens if you don’t have kids in organized sports or even any children at all? That’s the topic of other entries in the future…I do have to remember, it’s only January 7^th.

Thanks for stopping by.