Ugh! I have joined the ranks of the complainers. It's too hot. It's too sticky. I have no energy. There are so many things I need to do! With little relief from these 90 plus degree days and high humidity, with upcoming family visitors, with aggravations like a refrigerator conking out in the midst of our hectic days, with upcoming shows and no new work produced - I've been feeling such frustration.
So my morning meditation is to look for the blessing.
There is nothing more welcome than the early morning air in summer! I'm perhaps more aware of this sea we are immersed in than at any other time of the year. The cicadas' chorus is one of my favorite summer sounds. Three little wrens were getting flight instructions in our backyard this morning, one perched on the porch railing only a few feet from us, peering back at us as we watched with delight.
Since I'm too hot by early afternoon to do much else, I've been getting a lot of reading in. And I'm thoroughly enjoying Kent Haruf's Eventide. His earlier Plainsong has been one of my all time favorite books.
Exploring new water experiences with grandchildren has refreshed and delighted us - catching polliwogs, learning to mudcrawl, even imitating a lab retrieving sticks.
And then there are the tomatoes, blueberries, squashes, peppers, peaches, apricots - so many favorite fruits and vegetables ripening at this time of year.
This is the time of year that we are able to gather more of our kids and grandchildren together, along with family from afar. My brother and his family are coming in this week - we're lucky to get them on the east coast. My parents will come in the fall. It's a time for reconnections. While there are losses, too, these emphasize the importance of celebrating when we can be together.
What does summer mean for you? What blessing do you find in these days?
