Summer

I love the summer.

It might be because I was raised in a family of school teachers. Summer was the bonus prize for a long year of work, and summer was something to be looked forward to, enjoyed, and eventually mourned.

During college, summer meant going home. A lot of students stayed in their college town for the summer, but I never even thought of that as an option. I couldn't wait to get home.

As a mom, summer means a chance to be with my children. We're not perfect, and every day isn't an off-the-chart kind of day, but we're together, and that counts for a whole lot.

Summer means that we get to slow down and pay attention to what's going on around us. We're not trying to get anywhere. We get to pay attention to what's on the side of the road instead of trying to speed down its winding and crowded lanes.

We take in the sunshine and the shade.

To live in the present moment is a gift bestowed by God, and this gift is presented to us in the dappled and delicious days of the summer.

Jana