I love summer! When I was a child summer held a special freedom. As much as I loved school, it was enjoyable to have more time for play and especially more time with my family. There were more trips to the beach, various parks including Griffith Park and the Los Angeles Zoo, the swimming pool at Rocketdyne Park, and the mountains. On a fine summer’s day, there was more time to walk barefoot in the grass, play on our swing set in the back yard, go for bike rides, extra trips to the library, and night time star gazing through our father’s telescope. I would not trade our camping trips out under the starry night skies for all the palaces in the world.
Yes, it was too hot sometimes. If I complained about the heat, my mother would remind me the summer sun was needed to make the gardens and crops grow. I noticed the perfume of the roses, honeysuckle, and other flowers was much stronger on a hot summer day. We didn’t have air conditioning in our home, so we threw open the windows for the cool, fresh air of night and early morning. Often it was chilly enough for a summer-weight blanket on the bed. As the temperature began to rise mid-morning, we closed the windows and drew the drapes and curtains to hold some of the cooler air inside. Drawing the drapes also kept the summer sunshine from heating the house even more. We also used electric fans to make a cooling breeze inside. We splashed cold water on our faces and ate fruit popsicles. The most languid days of summer were spent trying to stay cool and reading books.
Sometimes, my father would say, “Who wants ice cream?” On the way to 31 Flavors, my brother and I would laughingly say, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.” It was fun to look at all the flavors and choose a special one. The frozen sweet cream was good to the last honeyed taste. When it was hotter than hot, we headed for the swimming pool, the beach, or even our kiddie pool under a shade tree in the back yard. At the beach, the cool Pacific Ocean waters of Southern California made us shiver. Then the hot sunshine felt good as we warmed up for the next plunge under a cooling wave.
Summer’s charms also brought the 4th of July fireworks and sparklers, Vacation Bible School, lemonade, guessing cloud shapes in the sky, strawberries galore, corn on the cob, watermelon, and a whole week at summer camp. Without the heat of summer there would be no juicy peaches. There were road trips to visit my grandparents where the leisurely days turned into weeks of memories to last a lifetime. Then, all too soon, it was time for back-to-school shopping and earlier bedtimes. I learned how important it was to embrace each day.
These days, I love the soft glow of the golden hour. As dusk steals over the land, fireflies come out to play. Soon the twinkling of the fireflies is replaced by the lights of a starry night sky, like diamonds sparkling against a backdrop of black velvet. And come August, the crickets will begin their chirping song. Before long, the geese will begin their long flight south from Canada, honking encouragement to each other as they travel their aery courses. I’m reminded to embrace these remaining days and nights of summer, for all too soon, glorious autumn will make her majestic appearance. Can the cold of winter be far behind?
But sweeter than ice cream on a hot summer’s day, or the perfume of roses wafted on summer breezes, or firefly dances at dusk, is the sweet fragrance of forgiveness. Forgiveness is a way to keep the honeyed sweetness of summer all year long. My mother believed forgiveness was the greatest gift one could give or receive. Forgiveness cools the searing heat of anger and hurt. Forgiveness leaves a sweet, honeyed taste to one’s life. Forgiveness is the bright light of forever. Forgiveness is the most powerful thing one can do.
I believe in love and forgiveness.
Take care,
Charlyne