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The
Quiet of Summertime As a child I was taught summer was supposed to be fun . . . the Shore, the excitement of seeing new places, of experiencing life. There was also a time in my life when I associated summertime with abandonment. Everyone left town; city's quiet and humid nights were fogged with weeping loneliness; the hot and sunny breezeless afternoons in the country echoed only the shrill cries of jays. The need of other people to "feel good"; to entertain and enlighten. Abandonment was the natural feeling . How could one feel good when left only with one's self to amuse and console? Those who welcome the quiet of summertime to fill their need for solitude and aloneness do not waste precious moments. They do not feel the heat or the humidity. They do not see the dull, grey skies or the waterlogged grass under their feet. What stands out to them is the bright green of the earth; the drops of dew on the flowers; the sleeping birds also finding respite from their duties. No bad weather, no mind-numbing traffic jams, no high gasoline prices can dampen a summer when your goal is to rejuvenate your soul. When time is taken to read good books, to sit in silence finding new ways to communicate with your God. No spiritual journey is ever hampered by poor summer conditions; only by poor spirits. We would love to hear from you. If you would like to share your thoughts on this article or topic, please send an email to religious@stshrine.org |