The ‘Dawg Dayz of Summer.. who ever came up with that phrase and what happened to summer of 2017.. in a few short weeks it will be September. Yikes..
Don’t get me wrong Fall is my favourite season. I look forward to September, cooler weather, cozy sweaters, pumpkin spice everything, Sunday reading, and I love the notion of leaves everywhere.
It reminds me of a ‘fresh start, new beginning not only for students and empty-nest parents but for all of us. I often take stock of where I am in my plans I set out in January, review and adjust if required. Do you take time to ponder, quiet reflection on where you are, where you thought you’d be and where you would like to be? For most there are three months till 2018, how often do we beat ourselves up for silly things we have not achieved. Do we make unrealistic goals/plans in January or do we abandon them in February?
I invite you Celebrate where you are today, perhaps think of the difference one year has been for you. I imagine you are not the same person you were in August 2016. Perhaps you have allowed yourself to make mistakes, cut yourself some slack, learned a few self-care or self-Love techniques, become better at listening or communicating, made new friends-moved on from others, and you have finally realized the “Small Suff” IS Life…. Funny how finally we understand this phrase: it is the simple mundane tasks and interactions of our days that make up the ‘Story of our Life!” Who Knew! Hollywood tells us Life is Perfect, the dishes and our homes are always clean, people have perfect marriages, relationships and we all have a perfect family where there never is heartache and if there is, hold on because it always resolves itself in 60 minutes. Ha Ha
What a way to live our life where there in no heartache, no pain, no highs and no lows, no anger, no fear, no sadness et all because I for one would not change a single thing about my life experiences. It is those highs and lows which carried me to this Magical Moment in my Life where peace resides each day. I have learned through experience there is no joy without sadness, we require rain to appreciate the flowers and there are many opportunities for us to set our fears aside and lead in Love. Yes indeed what a wonderful world it is when we cut ourselves some slack and say I am going to do the best I can each day, some days are going to be better than others and so it is. Life IS an Inside Job – It’s a Fact I am learning. My soul and heart speak to me each day when I allow myself time to listen to her and the results are my insides are trying to tell me to heal and to listen even when it is uncomfortable.
I invite you set your anxieties aside when we see September on the calendar. Thanks to our minds they jump to ‘Yikes mode and ya gotta admit it really jumps – insert a chuckle and a few eye rolls 1) my children are in a new school-grade and how will they cope-back to school shopping when finances are low 2) my children have left I am unsure of what to do – and who the heck is that man in my house 3) time to re-create who I am and maybe I am not sure WHO I am 4) family gatherings in October Thanksgiving cause anxiety to elevate when we don’t really want to be there 5) it’s almost Christmas.. what to buy family members with many unrealistic expectations and we do not want to disappoint them 5) feeling like we are living a life similar to ‘Groundhog Day Movie – we don’t want to wake up at age 70 and wonder where our life got to .. and the list goes on as we struggle to quiet that “friend” who keeps chirping in our head. You may wonder how the heck does Jaye know this; I listen to people when they speak to me, in the stores, in our classes and I observe results being, man oh man our minds are busy aren’t they.
And to think this Blog started out as a simple “where did the Dawg Dayz of Summer originate from?”
Contrary to popular thought, the burden these days place upon our beloved, canine companions has nothing to do with the phrase’s origin. Instead, the term “dog days of summer” has deep historical roots dating back thousands of years and is actually intertwined with the movement of the stars. The ancient Greeks and Romans are thought to have helped coin the term in reference to the star, Sirius, or Dog Star, that rose just before the sun in late July. Orion’s dog rising in the heavens not only marked hotter days, but the star also served as an omen that could bring fever and catastrophe, according to National Geographic. The position of the stars overhead was an intrinsic part of ancient life, which shaped religious beliefs, marked seasons and even helped people navigate long journeys by land and sea. Following stars to mark time was like following a calendar, AccuWeather Meteorologist Jim Andrews said. “Stars will have virtually the same position in the sky at a given time during a solar year,” Andrews said.
And so the view from the chair today provides a few take-aways; that is if you have time to read them.
- There is no requirement to fill each square in your calendar –
- Just Breathe when you see the calendar, admit what is happening in your home/life
- Be aware if you are so busy you are forgetting to live your life – whatcha running from
- Set goals yet allow yourself to enjoy life each day
- You do not have to be the ‘TASK-MASTER in your home – ask what family members want to do. They may enjoy no schedule once in a while.
- Be with people who want the best for you ALWAYS .. they want you to show up as you are.. they want your time .. maybe read that again your T I M E matters
- Don’t ever “lose your soul” chasing something outside yourself
- If all else fails, perhaps put your feet up with a glass of wine and celebrate where you are and how far you have come in one year.. BigWins mean the small stuff
- Can you even grasp HOW much you, your life HAVE changed in one year
- Oh and if you have a dog, I invite you walk them and be thankful for the Dawg Dayz
- Sully approves of this and he recommends it often
As always, I appreciate you stopping in to read Blog and hopefully you may find a nugget or two that you can carry with you. Life is more magical than we acknowledge, yes indeed it sure is!
The Fire of Creativity 