Celebrations

 

(More fireworks pics in the album in the right column)

It seems the Spring and early Summer carry the majority of the year’s celebrations.   Beginning with Easter and following almost every two weeks like clockwork, there seems always a reason to celebrate:  Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day and now Independence Day – with Flag Day thrown in for good measure.  While some of the dates are fixed in history, perhaps it’s the changing of the seasons and the return to ‘outdoor times’ for much of the nation that provides the timing of some of the major ‘non-official’ holidays.  But regardless of the reason, an opportunity to gather with friends and those we love is still a gift to be cherished and enjoyed to the fullest.

 

But between these scheduled occasions, we should always be on the lookout for smaller, more personal reasons to celebrate – and to take the time to give them the recognition they deserve as well.  A new job, a passed exam, good news from the doctor all deserve to be recognized – if not perhaps with a gathering and a feast, then at least with a toast and a smile or a moment taken to write or call.

 

And then there are the celebrations of a more personal nature – the kind that can pass us by completely if we do not take the time to see and feel and appreciate.  The laughter of children in the park, an unexpected call from an old friend, a beautiful blue sky, a glimpse of a newborn fawn taking its first tentative steps, a remembered moment that touches the heart.  When we are busy, these moments can pass us by in an instant – and we, caught up in the latest crisis or drama or scheduled activity, can continue blissfully and hurriedly on our way, none the wiser.

 

But life is made up of countless such moments – so many more than those celebrations rigidly fixed on the calendar.  And the more of them we allow to pass us by, the poorer our lives become – small bit by small bit.

 

So gather together in these coming days.  Have picnics and share fireworks and squeeze your loved ones tightly to you.  But before - and after – take a moment to slow down every once in awhile.  Don’t just run from the house to the car to the store and back, but smell the freshly mown grass,  hear the individual sounds of chirping birds, delight in the exuberance of youth where you encounter it, look up at the sky.  These are celebrations we all can find – no matter location or circumstance – and each small celebration will ultimately shape who we are and the face we present to the world.  How many times will you celebrate today?