Generally, these self-care notes are directed toward difficult circumstances or situations that require us to be extra vigilant in our care. But for the next few weeks I will focus on an opportunity we have to celebrate our lives. We have the opportunity to claim the care provided to us simply by living our lives in the Summer Sun. We begin this journey with a toast, “L’Chaim”!
L’Chaim is a Yiddish toast that is generally translated “to life!” It is not usually the toast of one person. Instead, someone may invite their family and friends to gather around, lift their glass and everyone would shout “L’Chaim”! It is a communal affirmation that life is good, a gift to be celebrated and enjoyed. It is a way of celebrating the “giftness” of life.
While every season has its challenges, Summer stands for something far more liberating. We can all remember those summers when we ran out of our school doors and didn’t look back. We may remember vacations, or trips to the beach, or days exploring our neighborhood with friends. Summer represents a respite from the day-to-day responsibilities of growing up and becoming a contributing member of society. Yes, we did spend weeks at scout camp or church camp, but even these were heavily spiced with the joy of just having fun! Summer was the annual gift that the world gave us so that we could celebrate life, “LChaim”!
Once we grew into that responsible adult we began to yield much of that Summer back to world. At best, we would claim a couple of weeks and perhaps a couple of weekends for Summer, but the rest of the time was spent “adulting”. We would overwork getting ready for vacation, hurry through our two weeks, only to face an extraordinary pile of work when we returned to our desk. Summer did not seem worth the trouble. Our relationship to Summer began to change and, for many, it was just another season, only hotter!
But, if we pay attention, there is still something of Summer in our lives. We want to be outside even though we will be properly shaded. We want to spend time at the water even if it is only the neighborhood pool. We wake up a little later hoping to be on time because the Summer Traffic should be lighter than usual. We fire up the grill. We enjoy corn on the cob and fresh cobbler with homemade ice cream. These are all remnants of a season of joy when life was something more than taking care of our responsibilities. With each one, we raise the glass of our lives, look up, and shout “L’Chaim”.
L’Chaim is a Yiddish toast that is generally translated “to life!” It is not usually the toast of one person. Instead, someone may invite their family and friends to gather around, lift their glass and everyone would shout “L’Chaim”! It is a communal affirmation that life is good, a gift to be celebrated and enjoyed. It is a way of celebrating the “giftness” of life.
While every season has its challenges, Summer stands for something far more liberating. We can all remember those summers when we ran out of our school doors and didn’t look back. We may remember vacations, or trips to the beach, or days exploring our neighborhood with friends. Summer represents a respite from the day-to-day responsibilities of growing up and becoming a contributing member of society. Yes, we did spend weeks at scout camp or church camp, but even these were heavily spiced with the joy of just having fun! Summer was the annual gift that the world gave us so that we could celebrate life, “LChaim”!
Once we grew into that responsible adult we began to yield much of that Summer back to world. At best, we would claim a couple of weeks and perhaps a couple of weekends for Summer, but the rest of the time was spent “adulting”. We would overwork getting ready for vacation, hurry through our two weeks, only to face an extraordinary pile of work when we returned to our desk. Summer did not seem worth the trouble. Our relationship to Summer began to change and, for many, it was just another season, only hotter!
But, if we pay attention, there is still something of Summer in our lives. We want to be outside even though we will be properly shaded. We want to spend time at the water even if it is only the neighborhood pool. We wake up a little later hoping to be on time because the Summer Traffic should be lighter than usual. We fire up the grill. We enjoy corn on the cob and fresh cobbler with homemade ice cream. These are all remnants of a season of joy when life was something more than taking care of our responsibilities. With each one, we raise the glass of our lives, look up, and shout “L’Chaim”.
Tip
Make a toast to Summer every day. Get in touch with the child who wants to play. Give them a little time each day to kick off their shoes and socks and run through the grass. Give them permission to see the castles growing in the clouds every afternoon. Let them run through a Summer shower and make a splash in the puddles. Summer is a time to feel the liberating power of sunshine to awaken our soul, inspire our mind, and warm our bodies. Allow gratitude its time in the Sun! Make a toast to life, your life! “L’Chaim”!
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