It starts with a grumble in the east. You quickly glance up
at the sky—what’s the cloud situation? Is there lightning? The Spanish moss
hangs limp from the oak trees and there’s not a whisper of breeze.
It’s still sunny where you are, but puffy clouds edged with
gray appear, racing across the sky. A summer storm approaches.
Quickly the blue sky turns gray, the
air temperature drops, the rumbling surrounds you. Sometimes the light takes on
an eerie green tinge.
The house shakes the next time the
thunder booms, and you begin to see lightning flashes. In moments, the rain
begins to spatter the ground, speckling the pavement. The rain whispers or
rustles or thuds, depending on how hard it’s coming down. If you’re lucky,
you’re inside, cozily watching. If you’re unlucky enough to be out and about,
you’re probably drenched despite your umbrella. You might take off your sandals
so they don’t get ruined, and run through the parking lot to get to your car.
(Or is that just me?)
After a few moments—or an hour—the
sun may shine through the rain. This is what’s known as a sun shower. Or a
rainbow will appear. Your gift for weathering another summer storm.
Sometimes we can see the storm
coming from a long way away and we can prepare at least somewhat, as my family
and I did last summer when Hurricane Irma was bearing down on us. Sometimes a
storm appears seemingly out of nowhere and we’re forced to take cover until the
worst is over. Afterwards, we pick up the pieces.
What’s true of the weather is also
true of our lives. Sometimes we see the storm coming, other times it takes us
by surprise and all we can do is hold on. If you’re in the midst of a storm,
know that it will end, and that you may very well find a world made new on the
other side. If you’re watching a storm on the horizon, what can you do to
prepare for it? And if you’re currently enjoying a stretch of beautiful
weather, savor every moment of it, knowing that soon enough, the storms will
come.
What storms have you weathered
lately?
Well, it’s August. What more can I say? I’m feeling about as
lazy as is possible while still being conscious, just marking time until the
weather cools off. But my fingers still work and I have an internet connection,
so here are a few links I’ve loved recently:
I’m not the only one struggling through summer. Apparently,
according to at least one study, your brain really does slow down during hot
weather. Read about it here: “It’s Not Your Fault If You Can't Get Anything Done in the Summer.”
Laura Vanderkam’s posts are always full of common sense.
In “Every Yes Is a No, Every No Is a Yes,” Laura writes, “The upside of keeping
this phrase in mind is that it reminds you that expectations are infinite, and
time is finite. You are always choosing. A choice to do one thing is a choice
not to do something else, and therefore a choice to disappoint someone. So
the question is who are you choosing to disappoint, and why?”
“Reclaim Your Weekends” looks at the importance of
scheduling time for restoration: “We all need rest and rejuvenation. Without
deep, restorative time, we power through jam-packed weekends (or aimlessly surf
the net), only to wake up on Monday mornings feeling tired and dissatisfied.”
I’m still exploring Julia’s Bookbag, but so far I’m
enchanted. How lovely it would be to receive one of her book boxes! And
wouldn’t it be fun to create them?
Read “10 Things to Keep You Going When Everything Goes Wrong,” because it’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond to
what happens to you. Numbers 3, 7, and 9 especially resonated with me.
I just finished reading Quiet Girl in a Noisy World,
and checked out the author's Tumblr, “Where’s My Bubble?” The book reminded me
that I haven’t been allowing enough recharging time for my introverted self.
To continue with the theme of doing less and enjoying
life more, have you heard the acronym “JOMO”? It’s FOMO’s (“Fear of Missing
Out”) cousin, the Joy of Missing Out. Read about it at “FOMO vs JOMO: How to Embrace the Joy of Missing Out.”
And for the times when it requires too much energy to go
to the beach, here’s a video of waves crashing on the beach...
Breathe.
I’m an expert at worrying. About the future. About what
might happen.
But in this moment, I’m OK. My loved ones are OK. Sure,
there will be times when this isn’t the case. But not this moment.
Breathe…
All my worrying, my complaining, maybe my problem is not
noticing and being grateful for this moment. This moment is a
gift—that’s why it’s called the present.
Hurry, distraction, multi-tasking—these are the enemies of
presence and peace.
I want more presence and peace.
Instead of constantly searching for something bright shiny
new (shopping, reading yet another self-help book, etc.) to distract myself
from uncomfortable feelings I’m practicing appreciating, caring for, and savoring
the many gifts I already have.
Will you join me today in stopping to breathe and appreciate
where you are? All the things that work in your life? Let all the worries for
the future go—poof! Maybe even make a list of 10, 15, 100 things you love about
your life right now. Summer is a good time for slowing down to appreciate this
moment.
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| Photo by gabrielle cole on Unsplash |
“So many of us believe that to be joyous we need to do a lot
of work. But the truth is, our essence is already sparkling with happiness and
bliss. All we really need to do is cultivate good internal habits to allow our
divine spark be revealed.”
—Tzivia Gover, Joy in Every Moment
