I thought for sure that June 1st was the start of my summer, but yesterday, there was a heat advisory warning and I couldn’t sleep because I was sweating in bed. I knew then that that was the start of my summer.
People love to commemorate. It’s a human thing. In every culture around the world, people place markers in their lives to remember what’s important. Birthdays, coming-of-age ceremonies, graduations, marriages, births, and firsts (first fish, first hunt, first day of school).
We also have personal markers. A family water balloon fight when the kids arrive home on their last day of school marks the first day of summer vacation. Camping every July means summer’s halfway done. Sweating while I sleep means summer’s here.
Getting a hair cut (my pixie has been growing out) means summer’s here. Taking my sandals out of storage means summer’s here. Preparing for VBS means summer’s here.
And yet…everyday life goes on like nothing changed. We continue to work and worry like we didn’t just pass by another marker. Like the little things don’t really matter in the big picture. What’s one water fight in one tiny afternoon? Tomorrow will be business as usual. What’s one hair cut when it will grow back out again? Tomorrow will be worrisome as usual.
That’s exactly why we need to grab onto the markers and the little things. Because tomorrow may require us to go back to work and pay attention to its worries, we celebrate now what we can.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” Matthew 6:34 (NIV).
What are you celebrating today? What markers do you have for summer? Perhaps there are markers you want to put in place to help you celebrate another day or season. Remember to grab onto the little things. Put together, they make the big picture!
