Summer stillness

I love May. I love the chaos and excitement that it brings. It is exhausting, but there is something magical about it. The whole summer is ahead of you; the kids are so excited for the carefree days of sidewalk chalk, bike rides, running barefoot, going to the beach, and too much ice cream.

As many of the regular readers know, I teach first grade and also have two small children. There is palpable excitement and enthusiasm in the air when children know that the school year is winding down, and their whole summer awaits ahead of them.

I do feel like this month has turned into another December where there’s a commitment every weekend and I’m tired. When you teach and have your own kids, you know just how many loose ends you must tie up before you can enjoy summer break. There are endless parties, the teacher gifts, the special dress days, and many more. You see the finish line but have a bit of a limp by the time you cross it because you’ve been eaten up.

We need the summer to let us regroup and allow ourselves to take a breath after running the marathon of the school year. It’s not just us adults that are tired. The kids are, too.

I look forward to this summer and welcome it with open arms. It comes at a time of much-needed rest. I cannot wait to spend time in my garden and reset. I can’t wait to sit on my patio and watch my daylilies return to splash color in my garden.

I want to be better at pulling my weeds this year. I say that every summer and by the end of July, I have reached a new level of hatred for thistle and the garden hose getting stuck on the side of the house when I’m trying to water my plants.

I want to sit on my front porch with a cup of coffee and not have a routine. Without fail, I get asked about camps, sports, and clubs for my kids to join. The only thing I might join this year is the pool. I don’t want to be committed to anything that I don’t want to do. So, if I’m making plans with you in the summer months, you should really know that I actually like you and enjoy your company.

I hope to find some rest this summer. I hope to find some stillness. I hope to find some time to sit and do nothing. I give myself full permission to be lazy and allow the same for my kids. They have been going at a nonstop pace this whole school year, too, and need to reset. I hope whoever is reading this also finds a break and a chance to be still, too.

Megan Rathz is a wife, mother, and teacher. She says everything she has ever learned in life came from her Master Gardener mother.