Meditation on summer
The morning sun sparkles on the lake as the soft breeze ripples the quiet water. Only a couple of kayakers move noiselessly along the far shore. One’s quiet meditation on a sunny morning is accompanied by the raucous caws of the crows having their morning convocation. The more melodic sounds of other birds provide a soothing counterpoint.
Summer is here. School is closing. Soon the delightful sounds of children splashing in the water, and boats enjoying the charm of the lake, will be our companions – sometimes they get too noisy, but not often. It is the season of family and friends brightening our days.
We gladly bid farewell to a long, cold, spring. As we pause and reflect upon the seasons past, there is a note of sadness. A few weeks ago we bade farewell to our valued summer neighbour, Jans Henderson, a fine woman who had given much to family, friends and all of life. Her family carries on her tradition; and we enjoy watching the graceful beauty of the Magpie as she races with the other fine boats on a Sunday afternoon.
In a few days my five children, with spouses and grandchildren, will be arriving from as far away as Vienna and Winnipeg. Rarely are they all here at the same time so it is a special occasion. Not that they are all staying with us, but we will have times when we are all together. There is nothing more satisfying to the soul than being surrounded by one’s children and children’s children, and those who have partnered them along the way.
One thing that brings them all together is the Tatamagouche high school. On this Canada Day weekend there is a grand reunion of all grads from the original district school, the last standing of the first four built in Nova Scotia. It, too, is now biting the dust, and the grads gather to bid it farewell.
Years ago, when my family was growing up, I was Minister in Tatamagouche. We lived in a big old manse with all of five bedrooms. It has since become a bed and breakfast, and my five are all booked there for the weekend. It will be quite something for them all to be together in the home in which they lived for a number of years. There will be great times remembered and elaborated on, among themselves and with others who shared their youth. Their parents are not invited. Many things happened of which we are blissfully unaware; and may it remain so.
Summer is the season when many of us can relax a bit. If we are privileged to be retired or have vacation time, we may travel to see some of the world, or journey to meet with parents or children. In this day when families can be separated by long distances, it offers the opportunity to strengthen the family bonds and enjoy the companionship of being together.
Those who live among family have a constant richness of life that can be too easily taken for granted.
We must also remember those who keep the work of the world going, and especially those for whom summer is the busy time of fixing our roads, building our homes and business, and housing, feeding, and entertaining us as we journey. You serve us well. Many thanks. We need close relationships as we face the horrors of a world gone amok. Donald Trump has ushered in at a time when the very foundations that hold us together as a family of nations are shaken. The startling awareness of the chaos we are passing on to future generation weighs on our souls. Yet there are countless people we know and hear about who are doing creative and courageous things to better our world. We take pride in our children and all the great people giving their skills and energy to the nourishment and healing of the human family.
We need family and friends to carry us through the rough times in our lives. And we need to stand with any in our circle and beyond whom we can support. In a larger sense we carry the blessing and darkness of the world. We are all one humanity, and we are both gifted and burdened by all who have gone before as well as those who now share our planet.
The lake calls, the family comes, and life is good. The darkness lurks. But we give joy and strength to one another as we carry on our lives amid the grandeur and brokenness of our world.