Safe Ways to Embrace this Wonderful Season
The daily news can feel a bit difficult to stomach these days. Although Illinois has made great strides in reducing the number of Covid-19 cases, the illness continues to mount across the country. It’s a difficult time in the US, but it’s also summer. We Midwesterners wait all year for these lovely, warm days. We earn them, and we owe it to ourselves to embrace this wonderful season.
Summer 2020 is definitely unique, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make it as special as we need it to be. Consider these tips for embracing this wonderful season.
The power of sensation
Summer is rich with powerful sensations. The feelings, sights, tastes and smells conjure memories from various eras of our lives. The feeling and scent of earth on our hands is timeless. The fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables and flowers that spring up are a constant in a world that is continuously shifting. They remind us of those who taught us to be gardeners as well as those to whom we passed along the craft. The smell of burning charcoal and bonfires can transport us instantly to different times in our personal history - easy summer days on beaches, in backyards and at parks.
This summer is less active for all of us. Vacations, visits and events have been postponed and cancelled. It’s sad. It’s a loss. But it also presents the chance to look at what is here - what’s around us. Absorb those sensations. Let them inspire you. Use them as your impetus to drive invention. This is the perfect summer to capture your memories for your family. 
Write your recollections of summers when you were a kid. Write about your parents and your school. Write about your childhood friends and what the kids in your neighborhood did to beat the heat before air conditioning.
If writing doesn’t feel like the right fit for you, try sketching out your family tree. Tracing family histories has become a popular pursuit, an interesting way of learning about yourself and your roots. “Learning your history is forced reckoning, asking you to consider whose stories you carry with you and which ones you want to carry forward.” explains writer Jaya Saxena.
Delving into your family and your history is a wonderful, safe way to wait out this strange summer. Plus, you can showcase what you find and present it to your family this holiday season.
The power of nature
Nature is healing. It’s calming and it adheres to a rhythm that is welcoming and familiar. Although it’s tempting to burrow into our homes during these hot, humid days, make every effort to invite the best parts of the day into your life. Ask your Visiting Angels Caregiver to help you set up a good, comfy spot where you can sit and enjoy your coffee each morning, or a drink at the close of each day.
Follow the phases of the moon. See what constellations and planets will be visible at what times. You don’t need a fancy telescope; plenty is visible through binoculars.
Try planting a butterfly garden or buying a hummingbird feeder. These additions to your yard can bring so much joy and intrigue.
The power of self-discovery
This is an ideal opportunity to learn a new skill or advance an existing one. Make the commitment to learning internet and social media basics through the Visiting Angels Social Care program. Start or join a book club through your local library (many have safe, virtual meetings). Brush up on your language skills by learning a new language online. Take up sewing, and learn to make masks. Try a yoga or meditation class either online or at a local center.
The power of the replay
It’s hard to be without baseball this summer - no cliff hangers, no heart breakers, no homeruns. It surprisingly fun, though, to re-watch classic games. Your old favorites are all waiting for you on YouTube, and it’s a totally different experience when you can watch the game knowing the outcome. Get your crackerjacks, and watch the Cubs win the World Series all over again, with way less pressure this time. It’s a great way to relive the season!
The power of resilience
We have to actively resist the urge to collapse into the strangeness of this time. We fight against that urge by keeping ourselves safe, motivated and inspired. It’s not the easiest thing to do right now. But staying busy, active and engaged helps. Keep challenging yourself to enjoy what is around you and to advance your skills and perspective. Happy summer!