The summer’s gone, another school year begins. As an educator and counselor, my life revolves around summer vacations and the school calendar.

And this summer was the weirdest ever.

I’ll be honest. I’ve been extra irritable. I even “lost it”a few times.

“Losing it”means verbal vomiting on whoever triggered the upsurge of emotions. Usually it’s a child or spouse. Or both.

I haven’t done it for a really long time. It’s especially frustrating because I write, speak and counsel on making healthy choices.

But I’m human, and even humans lose it.

I finally figured out why. Summer at our house has been weird. It’s the only word to describe it.

“Weird”means I have a university graduate, a returning college student, a high schooler and a middle schooler. It means I go through emotions of releasing my kids and having them return as adults who make their own decisions and who don’t like to be told what to do.

It means the whole family’s home but never at the same time.

They come and go but I don’t know who’s where.

There’s less food and more clutter and I can’t keep up.

I’m stretched but trying to hold it together.

I feel like I’m losing it, and on some days I do.

Then, I feel horrible.

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