My love of August goes back to when I was a kid. The days were long, and back then, camp was over and school had not yet begun. It was and still is the last full month of my favorite season. I allow myself to stay awake late and then sleep later…. any day of the week. I make fewer plans and break even my own rules. And the best part? My birthday comes at the end of the month. It’s like the sweet cherry that falls to the bottom of the chocolate cherry smoothie…. And I get to savor it until the very end of the summer.

One of the benefits of not being a kid anymore is having greater perspective. I realize now, more than ever, how precious every day, week, month, and year are and I want to cherish them all. So this month, in addition to enjoying the days and nights without restriction, I am focusing on being completely in the moment. In the interest of slowing down to do that, I have spent the summer unplugging on Sundays and some Saturdays, too!

Yesterday there was a sudden and very intense rainstorm here. I was on my way to a meeting and thought maybe I should wait a few minutes before getting into my car. Instead of continuing to work, I went out to my covered porch and just watched the storm. It was absolutely amazing, nature’s powerful fury cleansing the earth with full force. After it let up a little bit I decided to head out to my meeting.  I was outside less than ten minutes, but the joy it gave me lasted all day.

I am dedicating this month to slowing down and enjoying every moment. I would love for you to join me. Let’s see how we can enrich our lives by truly embracing some time each day. I’d love to hear about your experiences… leave your comments! We can learn so much from each other.
With love and mindfulness,