Love. It lasts so much longer than summer.
As we bring Sumer of Love to a close for 2019, I invite you to look forward. To see the rest of September. Then October. Into November and right up to the last night of December. See them, and even more than that, feel them.
Feel the love.
As our slower-paced summer winds down and the fastness of fall begins, feel the love. In each interaction with a child, a partner, a friend, a complete and total acquaintance, as well as each stranger, and especially, especially with yourself, pause and ask:
what does love look like here?
Because it’s easier when things feel lighter to know love. To see it. To act with it in mind.
As we enter into the months that rush past, it is our love that slows us down. As we enter into the fray of so many things to do, it is our love that allows us to see more deeply into each moment.
Love. It elevates each interaction from the mundane to the magical.
But what does love look like here? In this moment? And then the next? That’s the question. That’s the mindfulness. That’s the mantra to hold.
A rough start to the school year with a teacher—what does love look like here? It looks like honoring their expertise and asking for a partnership, even when our bear-ish reactions tell us to go in growling.
An exhausting bedtime routine—what does love look like here? It looks like seeing each transition as a true struggle for a child, and moving as many pieces as possible to other times of day to simplify the night and set them up for success, even when the voice in our head is wondering why this seems to be so hard.
A day crammed with too much to do—what does love look like here? It looks like holding the door for a stranger when we have to wait extra seconds for them to reach us, even when we want to barge on through without looking back.
An evening filled with recriminations about who we are, and what didn’t get done—what does love look like here? It looks like…..what? How do you stop to cherish and nurture yourself? What does that look like for you? Please pause. Think about this in your head. Or whisper it into your heart. Or hit reply and type it to me. How. Will. You. Love. You. This. Fall? In the times when you feel most vulnerable? When you need love the most—what does love look like here?
Love. It last so much longer than summer. And you are worth every moment of it.
Xoxo,
- Want to go back and (re) read Week One? It’s all about belonging.
- For Week Two it is about listening to our own voice and the owl outside my window.
- Rubber Ducky, you’re the one (and how we watch our emotions, instead of get hooked by them) for Week Three.
- And the importance of yams (and letting go of what we expect will happen) for Week Four.
- Week Five was all about trying it over again. Hello, Mulligan.
- Writing ourselves in at the top of our to-do lists was Week Six.
- Mastering the art & science of transitions was Week Seven.
- Week Eight was call & response and the importance of camp songs.
- Week Nine was all about being the gutter bumpers.
- I love hearing from you. And I’d love to know how summer went for you. You can send me an email, or join the facebook conversation here.