Wednesday’s thought – summer’s end is near.

It is now mid-July and I can’t believe how fast the summer has flown by. I am already receiving emails about the school year and boxes of curriculum have arrived. I’m saddened by how fast it has passed. In my heart I feel this compulsion to hold on and try to cram more summer into our remaining days. There are so many activities remaining on our Summer Bucket List. And yet, I know this isn’t really what we love so much about summer. The activities are fun, but they aren’t the heartbeat of the summer. And so, on this day when I want to plan our every minute to cram in as much fun as possible, I stop, take a deep breath, and just try to enjoy all that is happening around me. The kids are barefoot in the backyard, sweat dripping down their faces, popsicles in hand. There’s a pile of wet swim stuff in the hall and some dirty creeking clothes in the van. There’s a kid curled up in the hammock reading a book others are playing a game on the porch. Peaches are on the table and mint tea is on the stove. I look around, smile, and think of this quote from Anne of Green Gables:

“Dear old world’, she murmured, ‘you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.”

L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables.

I hope you can look around today and think of how lovely it all is, and be glad to be alive in it.