This post was originally published on September 1, 2020.
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It’s been a hot summer here in southern New England. We’ve seemed to go from one heat wave to the next, to the next, and to the next!
And I don’t do so well in the heat. You know how some people get angry if they don’t eat? They get hungry angry? Hangry. Well, I get heat angry. Hangry. It’s super inconvenient when you’re both at the same time but that’s a topic for another day.
With the temperatures being high, though, it’s also increased the opportunities for enjoying the night air. Along with those other lovely summer nighttime things like the peepers and crickets and birds all talking incessantly to one another. (The mosquitoes haven’t been bothering me so much because of my handy-dandy bug spray. You can find out how to make it here!)
Don’t you just love those summer sounds?
This summer has definitely felt more intentional than ever before about how we gather, don’t you think so? Lingering concerns with the pandemic and wanting to be considerate of other people’s fears surrounding it, even though you’ve admitted to yourself that you’re over it, has made for smaller get-togethers.
And that’s ok by me.
While there’s certainly a time and place for large and boisterous parties and celebrations, I’ve actually been reveling in these more relaxed, super chill summer nights.
They’ve opened the door to a deeper vulnerability in my conversations.
They’ve definitely been memorable because each one teaches me to appreciate being able to be in community with the ones I hold dear.
And with other activities still limited, something as simple as hanging out at night holds so much value these days. And, I hope, that, in turn, makes us more grateful for the people God places in our lives.
It makes me more grateful.
These chill 2020 summer nights have allowed for a rediscovery of friendships. They’ve nurtured a tucking into relationships that have been lost a little bit in the hustle and bustle of previous summers because you’re always finishing up one experience and moving on to the next without taking much time for reflection in between.
We’ve been given an opportunity to be more deliberate with how we use our time and the conversations we have and how we open up to one another. And who wouldn’t be grateful for that? And what better time than during these short summer nights?
