Summer Reimagined

When the boys were small as summer approached I would fill outside buckets with sidewalk chalk, bubbles, water balloons, and simple outside activities. We’d often get a tiny pool for the backyard, sprinklers, and water toys. So many summer memories were made in our backyard and driveway.

Then they started to outgrow these simple things. Sidewalk chalk and bubbles no longer entertained. We added water guns and other bigger kids outside activities. Yet I can remember just a few years ago thinking “I need to change the way I plan summer”.

When our oldest opted to play summer basketball much of our summer planning was around practice and tournaments. Fun activities were plugged in here and there, and of course, everything they wanted to do cost more and/or required going somewhere. Summer memories began to be made more away from home, than at home.

While Pandemic summer has lead to many cancellations and disappointment over missed vacations and travel, it has also been a gift. A return to simpler living. It has brought back creativity, simplicity and a return to backyard life. Rather than running around, packing bags, and searching for adventure, we’re finding it in our own back yard. Weekends once filled with errands, sports, birthday parties, and all sorts of activities are now spent lazing in blow-up pools, grilling, watching movies, longer bike rides and Sunday brunch.

Don’t get me wrong.  There is still some grieving over the lack of social interaction.  Yet there is also contentment being found in a slower pace and being home, together with family.

There has been another gift from a pandemic summer life, especially for me as a mom.  As a general rule, I do not consider myself a good shopper.  I tend to know what I want and get frustrated when I can’t find what I’m looking for.  While I do on occasion love to wander through Target or down Mass Street (our main street) just to browse, that is more for fun not because I need something.  

Ordering online and curbside pick-up has been a convenience for awhile for main chain stores and restaurants, it’s not been the best way to shop at local small businesses.  Until now!  

Pandemic life has brought out so much creativity and outside the box thinking for small business owners.  And while it hasn’t prevented continued struggles for these small businesses, we are blessed to live in a community that is committed to supporting our small business owners.  That means all sorts of new fun ways we’ve been able to shop and continue to keep our dollars local.  And for a non-shopper like me, it has been a blessing.   

Eating and shopping local has become a new weekly adventure, as we discover or rediscover local restaurants to order curbside or delivery.  We are enjoying the feeling of supporting local businesses as we make our summer purchases for activities and books to keep us busy at home.  We are even learning about new parks and places to virtually visit in town

While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the negative and overwhelming sadness of events going on right now.  It’s also important to stop and take a step back.  Right here, right now what do I have to be thankful for.  Not every act of kindness, not every voice for making the world better needs to be big and loud.  Sometimes the best place to start is right in our own backyard, in our neighborhoods, in our communities.  When I take a moment to step back and look for the gifts, I can always find them.  

Summer may not look like we had originally planned.  But that doesn’t mean it’s all bad.