I am a summer Scrooge. I don't like the heat and humidity and what it does to my thick, curly hair.
I don't like to sweat, and I resent all the additional loads of laundry.
I don't like mosquitos, even though they clearly love me. How irritating it is to remember to protect myself from their buzzing and biting even before it begins.
I wilt in the heat.
I am NOT a summer person, I whine, using whatever energy I have left after my early morning walk, for it is already warm and sticky.
No, I am not a summer person. I am a winter person. I love to hibernate, to enclose myself in a cave where it is dark and snuggly, to wrap myself in sweaters and eat soups and stews. And I am far more productive in the winter.
It is still May, and yet the temperatures have climbed into the 90's, which is not the norm for spring in Minnesota. (You may recall we had a major snowstorm in the middle of April.) The mid to high 90's, for heaven's sake! I read or heard somewhere that the weather in May is a good predictor for the summer months. Help!
Summer, especially the heat of summer, challenges me, and it appears I need to accept the challenge, even earlier than usual this year.
So what to do? A few thoughts:
* Rejoice in the beauty and give thanks for those who work, even in the heat, to add to the beauty of God's creation.
* Open to summer simplicity. Slow down. Do only what is necessary. Can I clean less? Fix easier, lighter meals? How about putting up my feet during the hottest hour of the day to nap or read a book, one that isn't too heavy? Can I let go of expectations about what I think I should be doing or producing. What is worth the sweating? Lighten up!
* Shift into summer. What can be changed in my routine to enhance these hot days? Instead of going directly to my Girlfriend Chair in the garret for morning meditation and walking later in the day, I now walk first thing in the morning when it is the coolest. I have been getting up earlier than I do in the winter, and that has brought me bonus time and greater flexibility. A good thing.
* Respond to summer spontaneity. I am a planner and a list maker. In fact, over the weekend, I gathered into a notebook articles about all the events and activities in our area during the summer months. I included our calendar for June, July, and August, which shows the days we are on summer nanny duty for our grand children and also when we will be out of town or have guests here in The Little House. In other words, I have planned to be spontaneous. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but it isn't really. I think clarifying available time and possibilities during those times opens me to spontaneity. "It is a gorgeous day, let's....."
* Be present now. Perhaps that is the overall theme. A summer theme. A theme for all seasons, for each day. When I am present, I notice the blessings, feel the blessings, and create blessings, even in the summer heat.
One more thought: My spiritual director pointed out that summer is only a short time in our part of the country, and soon it will be fall and then winter, and I will once more feel at home. We laughed together about that, even as I agree that Spirit is asking me to stretch into the days of summer heat. An Invitation
Does summer challenge your spirituality in any way? I would love to know.
