When I was little, the Fourth of July was always the start of summer for me. I loved the fireworks, the cookouts, and time spent with family, but what it represented on the calendar was a different story.
In small black letters it read: “Independence Day.” But in my mind, those words translated to: Summer is here! Even now, as an adult, I get that wow-it’s-the-Fourth-of-July when that date arrives on the calendar and it makes me feel happy.
But I believe in being real in this space I call “Peach Diaries,” so here’s some reality …
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| I spent my Fourth-of-July here today, looking out at my boys racing in the 5K and throwing candy from the all-star float in the parade. |
Holidays are hard when you're divorced. I was kind of feeling sorry for myself when I went in to work today, but that feeling quickly changed when I read my email. One of the patients, that I had helped take care of over the past few weeks, had passed away just after midnight, the email said. I went to the window to watch the start of the 5K my boys were outside ALIVE and running in and suddenly I couldn't stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks. I am simply living life. It is by the grace of God that I have this message to give:
Grab a stack of index cards, your blog, or whatever you can get your hands on and fill them.
Fill the empty lines … fill the blank spaces.
Fill them with small acts of kindness.
And in the process,
Fill your life.
Fill your heart.
Fill your soul.
Fill your life and the life of someone you love.
And then be prepared to experience the eye-opening, life-changing effects of your actions …
Because there’s a beautiful life out there. Live it.
The first summer day I clearly remember, the one that set the standard, was when I was 11 years old. I’d gone swimming and afterward, on a steamy morning, with my hair still wet, my mom took me to the cool, dark library, where I checked out my first Anne of Green Gables book. I spent the afternoon under a tree, reading and sipping lemonade, with a thunderstorm coming on.
To this day, that day has all the components of my idea of summer perfection: exercise, water, fresh air, feeling clean, the mix of hot and cool, a good book, emotional safety, sunshine with the scent of a storm and, though at the age of 11 I couldn't have named it, a sense of time unending.
Given that life is short, I was beautifully reminded that it’s the simple things in life that matter. And even quick, inexpensive activities that tap into living like we are dying can create meaning in life. Although I was not able to go to the boys various activities throughout the day, I still was able to spend the evening of my favorite summer holiday with them. This is what my night looked like:
Grabbed a table cloth and gathered in the backyard with my family to barbecue hamburgers and eat fruit salad that my mom spent hours making. Mmmm.
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| “My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” ~C. B. Kelland |
Then moved the party to the front lawn and watched 40 minutes of fireworks. I was reminded today of something my little sister, Darlin, is always telling me: You will only regret what you don't do in life.
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| What I most love about the world is YOU. |
