Liberated! Free again from those eternally dark cold nights! I stretch my arms open wide as my bare feet run across packed wet sand toward the mighty ocean before me. Coming to a standstill at the shore’s edge, I spin in a circle or two. Pausing there, I shut my eyes as I inhale the moist salty air, breathing in God Himself. “Ahh,” I exhale. My eyes take in the vast dark sea and the bright blue sky. All things, living and inanimate, become precision-placed elements of a shoreline motion picture.
Summer’s endless beauty and joy are back! Well, almost. Before the fourth of July, more or less, I wait for the June gloom to burn off. Meanwhile, I am daydreaming as the gloom shades my planner. My January resolution to get focused, organized and back in shape lies abandoned at the lifeguard tower. June signals the lifeguard’s return to duty, and my new resolution is: Make the most of summer.
My favorite season is too precious to squander. Summer’s easy thrills pass quickly, like beach sand through our fingers, watermelon juice down our chin, the squeals and splashes of children in water, and the bold flashes of fireworks against midnight blue sky. June promises smoke rising from an outdoor grill, fresh corn and berries, leisurely bike rides, throwing back the soccer ball that has rolled toward the picnic blanket, staying outside well into the night, and other simple adventures.
Looking at my planner, I ask myself about the smart way to spend it. I could let the days command themselves, but I am overdue for bold new memories. Could I pull off the spectacular, like a trip to the Grand Canyon, Disney World, or the Eiffel Tower? Is it time to visit relatives? Do I hear a call to take surfing lessons, or to community service?
How to make the most of it? I consider five easy ways to be R E A D Y for summer.
R: Rejuvenate. Set up a hammock or chairs so you can relax outdoors. Find a great book to read. Commit to renew the spiritual mind by reading the bible for a few minutes every day. Refresh the body with delicious summer foods, a swim, and perhaps a massage.
E: Exercise, not excuses. Sign up for a fun group class. Stretch and move every day. Just do it.
A: Adventure. What’s summer without it? (In a word: Forgettable!) Commit to seeing or doing something that sparks your curiosity. Consider a different approach and attitude. Stretch your thinking. If money is an issue, do small things differently. Explore a new route home. Eat or write with the opposite hand. Change your hairstyle. Set fear aside.
D: Devotion. Put God first in every act and decision. Schedule regular dates alone with Him.
Y: You! Take care of yourself. Drink water. Take those vitamins. Remember to wear sunscreen. You’re all you’ve got, and you’re worth it.
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