We had a fire that darkened the afternoon sky and left a coating of soot and ash on our town. Outdoor activities came to a halt. By the second night, the smoke cloud extended in every direction and the pungent smell was inescapable. Our entire valley was under a blanket. And then, the wind brought some moisture from the coast a hundred miles away. It blew through the night, and we awoke to this:
The valley sky completely restored. A deep blue that us in the desert come to expect and appreciate. A new day.
And then, I dropped my laptop in just the right way to break the case and the screen. A trip to Staples for a new laptop and a click on the "emergency restore" button on my cloud-based back up service and all is well. Fully restored, with an updated look and some new features. A new day.
And finally, a friend was feeling a little down and lonely during the dog days of summer. "Everyone" was out of town doing really fun things, vacations, travel, connecting with family.
It made me think that August is a great time for restoration. It's a pause between the travel, work, and celebrations of summer and the launch of fall. It's a great time to do nothing. To rest. To allow a little boredom even. Even without flying to some exotic venue, restoration can occur by simply changing up the things I do and recognizing that the routines can be put on hold for a time. September will be here. School will start. Work will crank up. And for today, I will rest. A new day approaches.
Onward!
