I Heart August
Ah, August. How I love this month. Let me count the ways…
1) Michigan Women’s Music Festival: I could leave it at that, knowing women who have gone would nod in agreement. For those who have not gone, I will share a few words. Festival is many things to many different people, but the space is all women. At night, under full moon light, I am completely safe. Thousand of women around and I have nothing to worry about. Music plays on three stages throughout the day. There is something about the all women space that breeds hope and a commonality within everyone there. If you forgot something or lost something, there always seems to be someone to help, as though we are one tribe for the week. Its camping in the middle of the woods with women, and the Porta Johns, known here as Porta Janes are clean. Thousands of women and they are clean. Says a lot.
Here is an example of what I am talking about. A dear friend of mine ran the 3 k they do on Saturdays (this space really is a small village). While she was running she got hot and took off her overshirt. She simply threw it on the side of the road knowing it would be there when she got back or would be in lost and found. I believe she reclaimed it at the Lost and Found.
This place, this space gives me the energy and hope that the world can be a better place.
2) Meteor Showers: I love to stay up late at night and watch the meteor showers that come in August.
3) In August, the trees begin to take in their final deep breath of sun and air. August is the moment when the lungs of the earth first dig deep. It’s that moment when you pull the air in, sucking it in. You can smell it. Everything is ripening, everything is green. In some Buddhist traditions, a newby is taught to breath in meditation with the word “buh-do.” Buh is said at the intake, and do at the outtake. The idea is not to concentrate on the whole breath going in, but the strongest point of breath. For some it is in the nose, others the throat, and still others the belly. August is the Buh of meditation.
4) School supplies. It doesn’t matter if I am in school or not. Learned from childhood, August is the month when I love to buy new pens!
5) This is the cusp month that wanes into fall. You can feel the hint of autumn coming around the corner, if you know how.
6) The water is warm at the beach I go to.
7) The county where I grew up has the best County Fair. I use to love going and seeing the animals, eating the food, and riding the rides.
8) The American Legion in my home town has a Corn Roast Picnic. There are these huge grills, made to burn wood that harbors hundreds of pieces of corn. There are games for the kids, soft ball for the adults, and laughter. I do not believe in our war nor the violence is the best solution, but I do honor the men and women who in their minds are being the noblest of characters: honorable, loyal, strong, and yielding of life for the community. I know that our world will not survive until we can find a new way to honor these characteristics. I do love the picnic because it is a communal ritual of honoring those who would die for the community. Its f%$@d up, but I love the picnic.
1) Michigan Women’s Music Festival: I could leave it at that, knowing women who have gone would nod in agreement. For those who have not gone, I will share a few words. Festival is many things to many different people, but the space is all women. At night, under full moon light, I am completely safe. Thousand of women around and I have nothing to worry about. Music plays on three stages throughout the day. There is something about the all women space that breeds hope and a commonality within everyone there. If you forgot something or lost something, there always seems to be someone to help, as though we are one tribe for the week. Its camping in the middle of the woods with women, and the Porta Johns, known here as Porta Janes are clean. Thousands of women and they are clean. Says a lot.
Here is an example of what I am talking about. A dear friend of mine ran the 3 k they do on Saturdays (this space really is a small village). While she was running she got hot and took off her overshirt. She simply threw it on the side of the road knowing it would be there when she got back or would be in lost and found. I believe she reclaimed it at the Lost and Found.
This place, this space gives me the energy and hope that the world can be a better place.
2) Meteor Showers: I love to stay up late at night and watch the meteor showers that come in August.
3) In August, the trees begin to take in their final deep breath of sun and air. August is the moment when the lungs of the earth first dig deep. It’s that moment when you pull the air in, sucking it in. You can smell it. Everything is ripening, everything is green. In some Buddhist traditions, a newby is taught to breath in meditation with the word “buh-do.” Buh is said at the intake, and do at the outtake. The idea is not to concentrate on the whole breath going in, but the strongest point of breath. For some it is in the nose, others the throat, and still others the belly. August is the Buh of meditation.
4) School supplies. It doesn’t matter if I am in school or not. Learned from childhood, August is the month when I love to buy new pens!
5) This is the cusp month that wanes into fall. You can feel the hint of autumn coming around the corner, if you know how.
6) The water is warm at the beach I go to.
7) The county where I grew up has the best County Fair. I use to love going and seeing the animals, eating the food, and riding the rides.
8) The American Legion in my home town has a Corn Roast Picnic. There are these huge grills, made to burn wood that harbors hundreds of pieces of corn. There are games for the kids, soft ball for the adults, and laughter. I do not believe in our war nor the violence is the best solution, but I do honor the men and women who in their minds are being the noblest of characters: honorable, loyal, strong, and yielding of life for the community. I know that our world will not survive until we can find a new way to honor these characteristics. I do love the picnic because it is a communal ritual of honoring those who would die for the community. Its f%$@d up, but I love the picnic.
posted by GoGo | 7:21 AM
2 Comments:
Lovely post about all the prospective joys just waiting to be sampled this month.
Nice positive post, from someone who lives in a state where August means everything is dry and brown and the humidity is 100%. I'm jealous!
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