The summer heat is calling us to rest,
The summer earth is calling us to grow,
The summer seas are calling us to play,
The summer winds are calling us to change...
As a rule, I do not like Summer. I do not like the heat and humidity. I like wearing sandals and shorts but when I feel "sticky" I get uncomfortable. I do not like the bugs that like to invade your space and while a thunderstorm is cool I don't feel the need to watch it. There are no schedules (which can be good) but then when you need to get someplace on time you are almost always late...and I hate being late. My kids request - constantly - about beaches and pools and other field trips. Those places are fun but I am usually the pack mule and I can't leave them there and go someplace else (like inside...with an umbrella drink). The heat brings a laziness that I cannot stand. I like to be active and I like to get things done and when its too hot and you can't really move...you don't get anything done. Then there's the whole "the kids are home and need to be occupied" thing. My kids are not toddlers but they are not teenagers...they are in an in-between stage where they want to play but sometimes they want to be alone. They want to grow up and then they want to be little again. Its hard to know what days are going to bring what attitudes with them....and that holds for both them and me. If its too hot, I will have a short fuse. If its rainy and humid I will change plans to get to someplace with air conditioning, but it has to be a place where all of my kids will have fun and doesn't have a ton of people already there (and isn't too expensive) and those places are getting to be more and more scarce.
Even though I do not like Summer I always have such high hopes for it. I like to think that the kids and I will play and have fun and everything we do will be a rainbow delight. But closer to home, sometimes its good, and sometimes its nice, but usually its me exhausted on the couch arguing with the kids to go to bed because I want to have some time. Alone. Now.
Summer is hard for me. Summer forces me to slow down and take stock while not having any alone time. It challenges me to sit back and relax when I want to plan what will happen...and not think about what is happening right now. This year, the lesson of Summer seems to be all about change. There are changes for me, trying to figure out job opportunities and what I want with my life. My children are growing up...one will be turning teen, one will be moving up to 5th grade and one (tho' still a handful) is showing signs of growing up. My hubby and I know we can rely on one another but we don't desperately need the other to relieve us for a break, so there is more independence which can be empowering or lonely depending on the day. We are moving things in our house to accommodate what our family needs now, and getting rid of things they don't need...which can be hard to do. I am also looking at changing my habits and bringing in more exercise which may mean more energy or it could mean being more tired.
It can be hard to break old habits and let go of wants and desires. What you hope will happen may not and then you are going to have to change plans and Don't Want To. This is true of all of us in any season. Summer's lesson is to Enjoy in spite of it all. This is because Summer is very laid back. Summer totally doesn't care that you can't get that done right now because tomorrow is another day - and there is no schedule to shuffle. Summer is non-judgmental, knowing that you are not lazy if you can't get something done. The reason why Summer doesn't care that your hopes and expectations may not happen is because Summer is about the Moment.
So even with things changing all around me, and my desire to hurry them up to get to the next phase, nest day, nest season...my lesson of Summer might be to take a Moment. A moment to sit...or to play. To re-evaluate or to relax. To not feel so pressured into doing what I have to versus doing what I want to. To take this Summer and to see my family for the awesome people they are right now and to maybe see me, fully, as the awesome person I am right now. To appreciate all the joys of Summer and to slow down, to be here and smile.
Hoping to share a lovely Sangria with all of you,
DiannaMoon
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