THE NATURAL MINIMALIST

     I’m in one of those periodic places of decision making. They occur whenever some life scenario has shifted either because of a change of seasons or some unexpected event or circumstance has shown up. In this case, it is the seasonal contemplation of what do I want summer to be this year? What is it that either was missing from last year or was worth doing again or would be a grand new fun experience?

     I suppose I should begin by making a list of some sort. The problem with lists, bucket or otherwise, is that they tend to be so random that they are often unrealistic in terms of the nature of the person making them or the obvious limitations of money and/or time. In addition, they can also be misleading in that the mood you’re in when you’re making them, sometimes disappears as time goes on. i.e.-“Hike the Appalachian Trail” becomes “I think I’ll just take a nice walk every day.” Or, “Go whale-watching” becomes “A day at the beach would be nice.”  
     I've had 75 summers thus far; the first several I don't remember very well, if at all. The ones that do stand out were those wonderful summer breaks from school. Those last days of classes were as good as Christmas Eve--the expectations for what lie just ahead rising to a grand crescendo of music in a kid's imagination. 
     It was effortless to enter the doorway to summer knowing that good things would happen--going to the beach, swimming at the "Minnie Hole," evenings of hide-and-seek, reading comic books on the front porch on rainy days, the boardwalks of Seaside and Atlantic City, the Sunday School picnics with homemade root beer. We certainly would be going crabbing in Tuckerton, and my friends and I would be exploring the woods and fields around Medford. Those were just few things that were almost a guaranteed summer agenda.
     But now, at this stage of life, what do I want this summer to be? Maybe, what do I need it to be for the sake of my personal well-being in the celebration and opportunity of being alive?
     I am aware that those of you reading this have your own thoughts about summer for you and/or your families. In some cases, those thoughts are guided by or restricted by circumstances that are present in your life at the moment. Same for me. 
     I do know one thing, however: a lot of what this summer will be depends on my willingness to live in the present and not in the past, even though I have many fond memories; to recognize that even the seemingly small opportunities to have a good time and share some laughs with those I love are as valuable as major vacations to exotic places; to have the intention to be sensitive to the feelings and needs of others who also seek a joyful summer; and to be a light in the world in times like these when there are so many things causing people stress and fear.

Just a thought.