June Full of Memories

When I consider all the significant things that have happened in my life in the month of June it really is amazing. The expression, a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine goes down has been running around in my head and had me thinking of how my June full of memories brings my life around. Excuse the poetic license, but it is true.

First, there are all the birthdays. My sister-in-law was born on June 2 and I have three nephews with June birthdays – the 4th, 20th and 21st. My parents were married June 14. Mom passed away June 15, 2006 (five years ago and one day after my parents’ 55th wedding anniversary). I ran my first half-marathon on June 5, 2006. And twenty years ago on June 22 I had a spiritual experience that led to a completely new way of life. In fact, if I hadn’t “bottomed out” and accepted the help I needed I likely wouldn’t even be alive today. If I hadn’t changed my ways and was still alive today I’m sure I would be miserable.

Furthermore, I’ve recently completed some education for a career transition to teaching. I’m now licensed to teach K-8 grade and on June 13 I was hired to teach Social Studies to 6, 7 & 8 graders starting in August. So, you can see that June is a special month for me. I honor each of these days and they are special markers to key events in my life.

I also like the rhythm of June. It is the first real month of summer. As a kid it was all about riding bikes, playing baseball and hanging out with the neighborhood kids until long after the sun went down. We’d be sitting on curbs under streetlights, goofin’ and kiddin’ each other until our parents called us all home. In fact, it seemed that during those summer days the adults pretty much kicked all the kids out of the house with the message of "don’t come home until we call you in". It was their way (mostly the moms as the fathers were usually at work) of getting a relief from a bunch of squirrelly kids out of school and driving them crazy. Nowadays you can’t get away with that. Usually. Sadly. The world isn’t safe enough to let packs of kids roam the neighborhood without adult supervision.

But that was my world back in the day.

I still enjoy June. I’ll take the summer heat over the winter cold any day. I carefully follow my beloved Boston Red Sox, catching a game on TV when I can. I sit on the back patio, my dog Shadow at my feet, panting and occasionally glancing my way, hoping for another walk. I read. I ponder. I reminisce.

The odd cosmic alignment that has brought all these June occurrences into my life has a special feeling that sometimes leaves me in awe. It’s truly ironic that I am mostly geared up in June about the start of the school year in a couple of months. June was always about escape from school; as a newly “ordained” teacher it is about mission, purpose and gratitude. I’ve always wanted to follow my bliss. My pragmatic side has often pushed aside such thoughts of fancy. Thoughts of fancy are resilient, though. They are like leaves in the wind, or butterflies that float in and out of orbit, seemingly defying the tug of gravity. Fanciful thoughts are the wispy whispers of your inner dreams. And you have to listen carefully to hear whispering.

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