“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
As a child, I used to love those quiet summer days when I’d lie down on the grass and gaze up at the sky, marveling at its perfection. I’d close my eyes and feel the sun’s warmth on my skin, and listen to the gentle rustling of leaves from the large oak tree nearby. I would lie there for hours, as midday became late afternoon. Sometimes the weather would shift, surprising me, bringing with it a new set of sensory delights. Mesmerized by the different cotton ball shapes, I’d track the movement of the clouds as the warm summer breeze caressed my face and I waited in anticipation for what was sure to come next: the sun shower. I’d laugh out loud as the raindrops tickled my skin, and stick my tongue out to taste the drops. Before I could count the minutes, the shower stopped, leaving behind the fresh smell of rain. Then it was time for me to go inside for tea time with my mother. I’d jump up, shake the grass off, and — with the hint of a smile on my lips — I’d leave my peaceful afternoon reverie behind. There would be more summer days like that. Plenty more.
Although those sweet childhood days have long since gone, I still enjoy summer days like that. In youth, we take much for granted — not at all concerned about the passage of Time. As we age, we become acutely aware of how precious each and every moment is. We are grateful for each and every sense that we are blessed with. It becomes more important for us to look (and really see) the beauty all around us, to listen to (and truly hear) the sounds that make us smile, to breathe in and smell that first summer rain, to taste and savour a freshly picked apple, and to touch the hand of a loved one (like it was the first and may possibly be the last time).
To live life as if Today is all we have, is to savour and love each and every minute.
Don’t put it off until tomorrow.
heatherfromthegrove 