Resilience and persistence are needed more than ever.
The way it is:
In this record-beating summer, the dog days have descended with unanticipated furor. The relentless heat, fires, and floods push down on our spirits and sap our energy. It’s hard not to wonder if the earth itself will roast or drown under the strain.
I’ve had to lean on my own resilience to acknowledge that this is something different, yet I still move ahead.
The sun blazes overhead with intense energy, and we can harness it to power our modern lives.
The air-conditioner labors to keep up with 100+ heat index days, and I am lucky to have one.
Torrential rains alternate with high heat index and stifling humidity, and our drought-baked fields are now green. I decided to shut our farmers market earlier in the day and preserve the produce the producers and the shoppers.
A sense of promise:
Amidst the struggle, there are moments of camaraderie.
I’ve seen the season’s two blockbuster movies in theatres, the one about the A-bomb (too serious for popcorn) and the one about a glamour doll (yes, we wore pink). I went with different sets of friends. Both crowds were much larger than we have seen since pre-pandemic times. And in both, people were talking with strangers.
There's a sense of solidarity in enduring this summer together, and even complaints about the heat blend with news of grandbabies and family gatherings into a sort of communal small talk.
As we yearn for a cool breeze or just a bit of rain, we find solace in the little respites summer offers. We retreat to shaded spots, savoring popsicles. I’m eager to plunge into cool quarry waters in a swimming hole nearby. New lovers find a way to each other, and they will remember this summer as magical, without its worst parts.
What we can make of it:
Though it may not be the most picturesque, romantic summer, it is undeniably a testament to the human spirit. We adapt, we cope, and we find ways to make the most of this searing season.
And there is my business lesson for this post…resilience is built into human nature. We are problem-solvers and artists, we are doers and baby-makers, and brides, and grooms.
We are resilient persistent and creative. There are momentous challenges for us, but we know what to do. This is the moment. In the doggiest of dog days.
