Meandering Meditations

It's kind of crazy that June has come and gone. I always wish the warm months lasted longer.

I won't bemoan (too much!) the weather extremes we've had this month since those are out of my control. I'll just say it's been rain and more rain with a couple local tornadoes thrown in the mix. My quality times outside have been fewer and farther between this summer.

I remind myself I live in fortunate circumstances. Some things I've enjoyed:

• A nearby labyrinth I can walk through while the sun sets. The atmosphere is peaceful and the view lovely.

• A labyrinth on the grounds in the Root Glen at Hamilton College. When my niece visited, we each approached the maze with different intentions. I meandered through the path with walking meditation. She aimed for fastest completion. Do I think one was wiser than the other? I think each of us got out of it what we needed in that moment.

• June Book Stack. Two books that stood out most this month: (1) I've read several pieces by Joan Didion and have tended to set her as a writer on a pedestal. This collection of Notes to John, her husband, helped me see she was human like the rest of us. It's a powerful book that brought up many emotions for me. Perhaps, like Didion, we've kept our struggles mostly private; that isolation might be to our detriment. Sometimes I need these little reminders that my trials aren't as unique as I tell myself, that we're all in this life together. (2) Another emotional read was Etty Hillesum's Letters from Westerbork. I'd never heard her story. It's a unique view into a young woman's life in internment, her final year before being transported to a death camp. Her letters tell of the prisoners' months spent in transition—months full of sorrow for what they'd lost, fear for what they knew awaited them, and the friendships that sustained them.

The Garden Against Time also chronicles an author's day-to-day relations. I guess my reading selections show I've felt a need for more connection with humanity at large. I hope my own musings help you to know you're not alone.

Until next month!

—Melody 💟