INSIGHT OUT
Summer Intentions Check In- Halfway Mark!
By Adina Morris
Can you believe summer is at the halfway mark already? No matter how I prepare, I am never ready for the midpoint of summer. I think back to my end of June plans and intentions. How am I doing? I have been busy working all month, but now we are about to embark on our summer vacation up in the Catskill Mountains in Upstate New York.
One summer about three years ago one of our son’s came to me as we were slowly starting the gathering process for packing up, (Yes, you need just about everything except the kitchen sink when you go to a bungalow!) and said, “You know mommy, the time at the bungalow always goes so quickly!” I looked at him and replied, ‘’Yes it does. It is so much fun and we have to try and enjoy every minute!”
Fast forward a week and we start the long journey of 10 hours in an overstuffed car with 7 people and most of their worldly possessions. This is the better of the two trips. For now we are heading out for vacation with three glorious weeks ahead of us (as opposed to the trip home when all we can think of is school starting and loads of laundry to be done!)!
Friends and family enjoying the outdoor mountain air. Ahh, deliciously pure relaxation! I can almost taste the excitement in the air like a favorite ice cream flavor.
Everyone is mostly behaved for the long trip in great anticipation for the fun that lies ahead, and, well, it is hard to get in trouble with your sibling if you can’t see nor reach them over the overspilling garbage bag between you loaded with linen and towels!
As we start driving, I remember what my son had stated just last week! It goes by so quickly! I have a flash of brilliance; it does happen occasionally;) I announce over the large bags so everyone can hear me, “How about we play a game!” A couple of groans from the teenagers and a few yelps of hurray from the younger ones. I take it as acceptance!
I forge on. “We all know that the summer zips by so quickly, especially when we get to the bungalow.” There are a few more groans this time. I continue on not discouraged. “So how about we go around the car, and everyone says at least one thing that they want to intentionally accomplish or do while we are in the bungalow? This way we will be more mindful of our time and therefore increase our enjoyment in the bungalow! And as bonus, we actually get to do all of the things that we want before it is time to go home!” I hear a few, “do we have to?” I ignore. “So who wants to go first?” You can always count on the under age 10 group to be excited about everything! It is all in the presentation. “Me! Me!” They go on to list all of the fun things they want to do.
Then it is my son’s turn, said son who said it goes by so quickly. He states that he wants to do his best to help his team win the league championship in day camp, a most coveted accomplishment. We discuss this for a moment. I explain that we can’t pick things that we do not have control over. I can state I want to swim every day as long as it is sunny out because I am in charge of myself to choose to swim or not to swim. But he reminds me that he didn’t say HE wanted to WIN, he said he wanted to Do His Best to Help his team to win. If he had said he wanted to win, it would not be a good choice of intention as he is not the only player on the team. What he did say was that he was going to do what was in his power and control to do in order to accomplish the hope of winning the championship.
Wow. I was in awe that he could have such clarity and understanding of a concept that many adults struggle with.
We can only set goals for things we have reasonable choice and control over. The only person who can take credit for accomplishing those goals is myself. Pinning a goal on the required cooperation of others who may not value the same goal may be counterproductive.
Ah, but here’s where it may not be counterproductive afterall. If I set my intention to do the best of my ability to accomplish a goal that does require others participation, perhaps the other team members will see my commitment and perseverance and they too will work hard to accomplish the goal; that is if the goal is truly valuable to the team as a whole.
Way deeper than I intended, but way more valuable than I could have hoped for.
My husband and I then went on to share our intentions for enjoying the vacation to the max. The trip was for the most part smooth and after we arrived, unpacked and got on with our first morning in the bungalow, I remembered my intentions from the car ride. My husband and I discussed over lunch and we consciously put into our very relaxed schedule the few items we would like to particularly enjoy over the next few weeks.
As we were intentional with our summer vacation, so were our children. They took our lead and remembered what it was that they wanted to make sure to do over vacation.
That summer I felt like we had created some wonderful memories of the usual bungalow flavor, but we also got an extra scoop of fun and enjoyment all because of a little sprinkling of intention on a stuffy ride up to the bungalow.
As the summer is gearing up for the last few weeks of fun and relaxation, now is the time to pick up your intentions list from the end of June and check in to see how you’re doing. Wishing you delightful last licks of summer!