Ah, glorious Summer

A remarkable thing happened this past Tuesday - Summer began. Indeed, since it was a slow news day, major news outlets were full of explanations as to why June 21st was the beginning of Summer. They lucidly explained that on June 21st the sun would reach its highest point in the sky at precisely 1:16 pm EDT, and in fact would be directly overhead on the Tropic of Cancer at that point. Hogwash.

I have to laugh when I hear these reports on the two solstices and two equinoxes during the year. They always seem to imply that seasons and time are measured by the scientists, like all things in life. For most real people, though, Summer started many weeks ago, because in reality life is not ruled by scientific definitions. For my wife Liz and I, summer started on Memorial Day weekend. That weekend we attended a wedding, went to the subsequent outdoor reception, grilled burgers at my best man's house, enjoyed alcoholic drinks with lime (Corona's and GT's, a particular favorite of Liz), and stayed out late so that we could drive home when it was cooler. These are the sort of things that truly define Summer, not the analytical definitions of science.

For us, Summer is about outdoor picnics with family and friends. It's about getting outside just because you can. Liz has recently started taking our son Alan out on walks in the afternoon. Its a chance for her to enjoy the weather, stretch the legs, and breath in some fresh air. For his own part, Alan is a little man who truly understands Summer. He's fascinated by the outside and never grows weary of all the splendors of nature. His always naps underneath the wide open skies, and when he comes in he is immediately ready to eat.

A truly wise young man! Food is an especially important part of Summer. While philosophically I espouse a local view of food consumption, I do not always follow my intellectual convictions. The lime, for instance, being God's fruit for Summer, should be mass distributed in a good society. Summer calls for limes in the same way that Fall calls for apples. It is truly Summer when you can enjoy an alcoholic drink with lime. At all other times of the year, the lime seems out of place. Ah, but in the Summer, it is the most necessary ingredient! It always feels wrong to drink a Corona in Summer without lime. Sometimes extraordinary circumstances call for such a sacrifice, like when your friend has several Coronas left in the fridge but has made the fatal mistake of running out of lime. At such times, the demands of friendship are rigorous. At all other times, the demands of Summer for limes should take precedence.

All said, then, Summer is a time for truly vigorous living. If Spring is the dawn of life, and Fall is its consummation, Summer is that season where life is truly itself. It is that time of year where God tells you to rejoice, work, pray and love. It's the time for weddings, barbecues, late nights and adventures. Winter and its focus on the home, the hearth and the family will come. Now is the time to rejoice in God's amazing creation! And such an amazing gift it is.