Hot Weather Pondering
When the weather is hot, keep a cool mind. When the weather is cold, keep a warm heart.
–Ajahn Brahm
People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy.
– Anton Chekhov
It'sbeen very hot here in Northern Florida this year. Thetemperature hit the 100s last weekend and it’s only the first days of June. Itappears that we're breaking the heat records. Yes, summer has come racing intoour lives. People barely seem to be moving as the heat blasts off buildings andup from concrete sidewalks. Air conditioners roar away.
Unfortunately, the blazing sun dries up flowers, plants, grass, ponds,lakes, even trees. Before long, one hears a lot of people complaining that it'stoo hot, that it's too early to have this kind of weather. They hope the skieswill open, and there will be a major rainstorm.
But if we could just pause and stop feeling sorry for ourselves,we would realize that in many places around the world, there isn't any airconditioning – not even fans to help people cool down. People are trying tofind a shady spot under a wilting tree, others are sitting on fire escapes andhanging out windows in cities. Everyone hopes to catch a tiny bit of breeze. Sadly,many people get sick; some even die from heat stroke.
If my father were alive, he would remind me that in every event orhappening that we face, even in our deepest discomfort, we need to stop and learnsomething from the situation. But we have to be truly open to doing that. Hetold me the drought and Dust Bowl of the 1930s taught people a lot of importantlessons about conservation, about not wasting water, about helping each otherto cope and survive by sharing what little they had.
What about us? Can we learn something from this season of hightemperatures? Certainly, we know it’s a time to slow down our fast lives, towalk more slowly, to sit quietly, to meditate on the changes in the climate andto realize what we must do aboutthat. And of course, we need to be more compassionate and caring for those whoare less privileged than we are.
This summer, I’m going to try to listen to my father. I will attemptto ponder the heat and what it means to me and to others around the world. I rememberEcclesiastes 3: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purposeunder the sun. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a timeto pluck up that which is planted.” Yes, we have so much to ponder and to learn– even from the heat.
* Can you stop complaining about the heat and learn somethingduring the hot weather?
* Can you be more aware of the millions of people who have no wayto cool themselves?
Beloved Creator, as we go through these days of heat, help us tolearn something. May we take appropriate actions of compassion and kindness toothers and to our planet. May we be reminded to slow down, to leave our workbehind, to rest and restore our souls. May we feel the heat of Your Presence inour lives. Amen.
Joy Carol