Summer Wishing

Now that it's the first week in June and summer stretches before us, it's a great time to make "summer wishes."

This little project is my favorite thing to think about before summer gets too jam packed with BBQ invites, summer camps and vacations. So while things are still in the precious "here comes summer" phase, I like to brainstorm wishes for the season ahead.

This week, I asked my 6 year old son to join in the fun by getting out a piece of paper and either coloring or writing his ten wishes for summer. In an effort to be helpful, I even tried to impose my summer wishes on him (in case he needed ideas of course.)

My oh-so-ambitious suggestions for him included the following: a trip to Carowinds, learning to fish, white water rafting, horse-back riding, going camping in the mountains, learning how to rock climb, going stargazing, etc. After about the 10th suggestion, he looked up at me with irritation and said, "Mom, I don't need ideas. I already have my own!"

So after much study and deliberation with the Crayolas, he came to me to present his summer wishes. I was humbled at his list. It included things like "playing with mom in the back yard, going to the movies, turning 7 and having fun outside."

In my Grand Canyon-style planning, I wanted big and amazing things for him. My son presented me with what he wanted. To be great, it doesn't need to be grand, it can be simple and lovely. In fact, it's even better when it is.

And isn't that what summer is all about -- treasuring up the pure, essential bounty blooming in our lives.

So in keeping with this notion of bounty and pure goodness, here are my wishes for summer. I invite you to create your own!

My Summer Wishes

1. Spend more time in the back yard playing with my son.
2. Savor my summer garden by noticing it's changes day by day.
3. Go to a baseball game and eat hot dogs.
3. Learn something new (maybe how to fish)
4. Take my son to the movies.
5. Re-read Gifts from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
6. Watch my favorite summer movie "The Sand Lot" with my son.
7. Go to the farmer's market to experience summer's bounty.
8. Roast marshmellows over a real fire.
9. Camp out in the back yard.
10. Treasure up the wonder of the season by being grateful every day.