Summer Lull
- Jun 30, 2022
- 2 min read
Even though life's frenetic pace hasn't slowed down much for our family, my energy and motivation is at a low point. Any desire to set or meet goals, or do more than the bare minimum to get by, is pretty much gone, along with any hope for a cool, refreshing breeze. My initial instinct is to fight the inertia and try to get myself moving. But, this generally just results in frustration and a longer to-do list. Instead, I should learn to use the heat of summer to relax and just enjoy the long days.
One enjoyable observation is the second batch of baby bluebirds at our barn. The first group of the summer left the nest before I could sneak some pictures, but this group is still snoozing the day away, waiting on Mama Bird to bring them breakfast, brunch, lunch, second lunch, snack, dinner, and dessert! Every summer, it's fun to see them hatch, grow feathers, and then take their first attempts at flight. Less delightful is Daddy Bird, who is entirely too vain, and compulsively looks in car mirrors, as well as our bathroom window, pecking nonstop - usually starting about 5:30am! He leaves streaks of droppings on the window and whoever's car is lucky, or unlucky, enough to be his object of obsession.
Peeking inside and finding that lovely pop of aqua-blue eggs carefully nestled away is always a lovely surprise. Of course, we are mindful not to check too often, to avoid upsetting the adult birds. We certainly don't want Daddy Bird "decorate" any more windows or mirrors than he already does! Some time later, we remember to go peek again, and if we are lucky, there are tiny pink hatchlings with faint tufts of fuzz stuck to their heads. All too quickly, the fuzz turns to feathers, and soon, the nest is empty again.
I think I'm going to hit pause on some of my longer term projects and only focus on what's necessary. I need to leave more time to enjoy the small joys of bluebird nests, cold drinks, rare lazy afternoons reading on the back porch, and impromptu water gun fights. The to-do lists, goals, and intense planning that I usually thrive on can all be revisited as the heat of the summer fades.
What are some of your favorite ways to pause during summer?
One of my favorite quotes is “It‘s ok if all you did today was breath”. Because when it comes down to it, that’s the minimum you need to do to get through the day and that is ok.