Seize the day

But as easy as it is to get downhearted, it is important not to lose sight of the many extraordinary treasures we have to be grateful for, whether it be family, friends or the wonders of the river valley—and more than that, to rejoice in them. That is, after all, what we are fighting for; and if we let our anxiety or our anger or our fear about threats we see to the things we care about drown out our love for them and the pleasure they give us, then we have already lost.

There is, for instance, the magnificence of our natural surroundings. John Muir once said, “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.” We don’t have to get in a car or plane to reach such a place: we live in one. The outdoors just through our back door or down the street provides opportunities not only for recreation, but for wandering, wondering and meditating.

We are also unusually privileged in our vibrant local artists’ community, and the opportunity it provides not only to appreciate the creations of others but to explore our own creativity. And especially evident in summer are the strong-knit community organizations from Sullivan Renaissance groups to arts alliances, chambers of commerce and historical societies, which join together to create one opportunity after another to celebrate together throughout the summer season. And on a more intimate level, summer is the time for families, too, with children home from school and acres of time opening up for family members to play, laugh and learn together.

Plunging in to enjoy the amenities of summer doesn’t mean we should just stick our heads in the sand about the various difficulties that beset us. But we must at the same time pay tribute to things we care most about by retaining our joy in them, and reaching out for what they have to offer.

It’s a difficult balance, but one we found beautifully expressed a while ago online by a blogger named exmearden, a woman who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, in a series on Daily Kos ( www.dailykos.com ) called “The Grieving Room.” She wrote: “I think I have a broken heart. But it doesn’t bother me anymore. Really. Because I can still savor stuff. The bird that sang in the apple tree this morning, and shook its wings enough to make the blossoms fly. The taste of homemade crème brulee, the aroma of the turbinado sugar as it broiled, a sweet gliding nectar thinly caramelizing the delicate buttery texture of the custard below. Taste, taste, taste. And sound, the sound of life every day.”

We may feel that the things we find precious are vulnerable, but that is all the more reason to cherish them. The way to honor them is to revel in them, to savor their luscious abundance through all of our senses. Now is the time to go out and indeed taste, touch, smell and listen to the treasures that surround us. Summer is here, with its round of festivals, farmers’ markets, river expeditions, theatre, gallery openings, fishing, swimming and just plain lazing. Let’s go out and make the most of it.

Also in this issue:

• Against Gas Drilling in the Marcellus Shale

Dr. Punnybone

Good Turn