As summer winds down to the finale, let’s stay in the now and hold on to the last morsels of summer.
Let us emulate children in their last five minutes at a bounce house. Let us adapt the “Now or Never” mentality, rather than waiting for tomorrow and pondering what’s to come.
Let us remember the promises that we made to ourselves last winter, while shivering and shoveling, and let us take the bull by the horns. Whether it be a day at the beach, a picnic, a baseball game, an hour of tennis or finally printing out the pictures on your phone, don’t let summer pass you by.
Actually, if you are Persian, skip the picnic. There will be too much food for you to carry back and forth.
Still, do consider taking a trip to the backyard without the trash—and without your phone. Show those pesky mosquitoes who’s boss and go enjoy the beautiful backyards and parks that we are helping to fund. Just as a reminder though, there are no balls, no bikes and no pets in most Great Neck parks.
Take a walk and admire the last of the blooming roses and hydrangeas.
Let us challenge ourselves to wear all of our summer clothes—at least once.
Take a day off and have some family time at an amusement park. If your boss protests, just explain the benefits of a mental-health day. After all, isn’t that a fragment of why our creator made seasons and cycles? It was to enhance our excitement in the beginning, and our appreciation and longing at the end. Every season has its beauty and it is all a gift. For all practical purposes, a black and white world would have sufficed, but we are blessed with a plethora of colors and spices.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of planning for the future and to begin mentally preparing for the fall. I know that I must use all of my strength to resist the temptation. I love spending my time daydreaming, and pretending that this year I will have everything perfectly organized and will do everything seamlessly.
I promise myself that all my meal menus will be ready at the beginning of the week, my kids’ clothes will be meticulously ironed, that I will brush up on my Italian-language skills and that no one will ever have any legitimate complaints to hold against me.
But, of course, as in all preparations, when reality strikes, it all loses its luster. So, this year, I will spend less time fantasizing about the future, and I will try to embrace the present. I will try to soak up the last bits of sunshine, and I will try to help my kids enjoy their last carefree days before school starts.
Whether or not you found this at all relevant, please consider recycling this paper. Some of my favorite uses are for holding nail clippings, covering tables for kids’ painting, crumpling it and playing ball or adding water to clean window stains. Enjoy!
