Savoring Summer

1d1f2c682b27aed006a9966547fb6f35This weekend I was reading and napping on our back porch. I wanted to enjoy the sweet sounds of summer before they were gone, so I closed my eyes and really tried to listen to them. I concentrated on the sounds of summer breezes, the wind through the leaves, the birds’ songs, cicadas and crickets, and the children playing in the neighborhood. There is nothing that I enjoy more than summer. Soon, too soon for me, it will be over.

To me, summer is being barefoot with sand between my toes, getting too much sunshine, and waterlogged skin. It is jumping in the lake and floating on inner tubes with friends. It is seeing fireflies at dusk and dragonflies as big as my fist. It is having picnics and enjoying outdoor music. It is visiting with friends and family and spending evenings together watching the moonrise.

While all of these beautiful things are wonderful, I am not sure if I would savor them as much if I were able to enjoy them all year round. I enjoy them so much because I know they are fleeting and because soon it will be the crunch of leaves and sweater weather.

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” ~ John Steinbeck

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(Aspiring to be a) Joy Spreader