Summer Love

 “Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” 

-Henry James 

 

Lately I've been struggling to keep up with reading the different blogs that I follow.  When I stopped to think about why this might be, I realized that the main reason is that I don't much feel like reading about others complain about the heat that accompanies summertime.  While I continue to draw inspiration from other writers, their posts over the past two months have yet to leave out at least one complaint about the heat.  Now, I completely understand the difficulties that the heat tends to impose on people in certain situations, but I also think that to every negative there is a corresponding positive.  I have slowly learned this over the past few years, during which I've improved my ability to turn any form and degree of suffering into good.  While I can appreciate one's desire for the arrival of autumn (and with it cooler temperatures), I also find merit in being thankful for the present.  Looking forward to the future--near or far--is a natural part of being human, a natural result of our pining for God in this world, but I know that I benefit from counting the blessings I have at this moment in time, and I think others might, as well.  In regards to the seasons in particular, I have found that I don't have a favorite one, for I just begin to feel ready for the next one by the time it arrives, finding new beauty to love in each one, which speaks to God's ever-infinite wisdom in creating this beautiful cycle of nature.

If ever you feel like complaining about the heat that comes with summer, I encourage you to think about the beauty that comes with it as well, such as: gardening, warm evenings, long-lasting daylight, wildflowers, sunshine, thunderstorms, rain showers, full greenery, light clothing, dancing outside. . .and the overall magic of it all.

Feel free to take a look at my {Summer Inspiration} Pinterest board for additional visual inspiration!

 "For every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven."

-Ecclesiastes 3:1

How do you feel about summer?

Do you have a favorite season?