Don’t panic! It’s still summer. August is a long month so keep the summer fun going.
I recently asked a friend of mine if he were enjoying summer. His reply: “Honestly it isn’t different than any other season since I work just as much.” He did add though that he would be taking a short trip up north at the end of August.
I was left thinking that although I too work in the summer, it’s a time when I can’t help but play a little hooky. Okay, maybe more than a little, but after all . . . it is summer! Of course if you have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, I would bet that you are sometimes actually guilted into playing hooky to be with them. It’s just the way our energy flows in August – a time to play hooky.
There is no time like summer when we feel that we have license to relax with Nature. Being outdoors and in awe of all the wonderful beauty the earth has to offer is simply marvelous. After all, in summer, Mother Nature is presenting herself in all her glory, giving us the opportunity to breathe in every enchanting moment. Do it!
And make the most of it; for, as we know, life can change in a heartbeat. That’s one more reason why it is so important not to miss an opportunity to experience the joy of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
I recently received an email from a father who attended an event of mine with his son. He was thanking me for saying really cool things about kids of his son’s generation. I’m not sure but apparently he had heard me mention that there are many young people who are involved in wonderful causes – from dealing with climate change to volunteering to walking abused horses, planting trees and working gardens, following what impassions them. Of special mention are those youngsters who want to help other children who have some sort of disability and can’t play the way others do.
I was touched that this young man expressed to his father that he had been wanting to help an older woman who lived down the street from them. He talked about how sometimes he sees her struggling with her groceries, or walking her dog. He remembers how kind she was to him when his mother was dying. The father had no idea that his son had felt this way, but I was honored that the father had reached out to me to let me know that what I had said at the event was true, and resonated with his son. As I often say, there is nothing more precious than helping others for no reason except to be kind. “Altruism,” we call it. Or as the Boy Scouts say, “Doing a good deed.”
As one more example, let me also share a precious “little thing” I experienced recently. Here, I was blessed to be on the receiving end of the kindness in humans that I so much admire and appreciate.
I had to go to my hometown to see my mom this past weekend. Most of you know that I was raised in a small rural town in upstate NY. The trip is about four hours from my apartment in Manhattan. It’s a beautiful drive with not a lot of cars on the road. Now, let me tell you that I’m really concerned about having enough gasoline, a trait that I picked up from my mother who is always intense about making sure you don’t leave her car without enough gas. In any event, my 2003 Jeep, “Glinda,” has over 200,000 miles on her but the gas gauge is broken. So I have to calculate my gas mileage. Well, somehow I had miscalculated and didn’t get gas before I left to see my mom.
So there I am on Route 88, a road that you can drive on for miles and not see any other cars. All of a sudden Glinda starts to sputter and I said out loud, “&%$#@$%^%$!” or something like that. Having been trained in car mechanics by my dad, I immediately realized that I was out of gas. I get out of Glinda, put on her flashers, and start to head up the hill looking for someone to take me to the nearest gas station.
Suddenly I see a guy pull up to the exit corner. I approached and asked him if he knew the area and if he could take me to nearest gas station. He said yes and drove me there. I run in, buy a gas can, and fill it up. I walk back across the street, hail down another car with a very sweet young girl driving, and ask her if she could take me back to my car. She agreed. We get there and as I jump out of her car, she says “God Bless!” before she leaves. Hmmmm.
Then a mother/daughter duo pull up and stop to see if I was okay. I’m glad they did, because I couldn’t figure out what the spring to the gas can sprout was all about. The daughter knew and gave me directions. Gotta love rural folks, they know these little but important survival deals! They waited patiently as I put the gas in the tank and started up Glinda. I thanked them again, and was on my way. More evidence that there are many many fine folks in the world just wanting to help out others in need.
After I got to my mother’s house, I read an article about how Harrison Ford was driving through my mom’s town and got a flat tire. Three cars stopped by to see if he needed help. So, it’s clearly in the water!
Love these little adventures, they always keep us in-check about all the good people in the world. I, for one, refuse to believe any different.
Okay then, kids . . . get back in the pool, on onto the trail, or along the sandy shore. Whatever. It’s August. Enjoy!
