Summertide

Chasing the Sun

”... And we'll never grow old again
You'll find us chasing the sun …”

That’s from a song you may already be familiar with called “Chasing the Sun.” The video has been viewed on YouTube over 127,000,000 times. Well, I don’t know where I’ve been because that’s kind of a big deal. The lyrics speak to the singer’s desire to live loudly and proclaim that immortality is possible if you’ll only believe it.

Oh, the confidence of youth!

The video does take an interesting twist at the end that seems to reveal the dark side of bargaining with the devil. One has to assume that immortality comes at a high price.

Oh, the wisdom that comes with time — and age.

As I am writing this, I’m staring at the portal to my 60th birthday that will arrive in a few weeks. For years, I’ve experienced humbling changes in my body and have long accepted that I have more days behind me than in front.

I stop short of diving into a pit of sadness as I ponder these truths about my age. I’m far too busy and blessed with the chaos of pets, grandchildren, civic responsibilities etc., to allow moroseness to dominate the precious time I have left.

That isn’t to say that during my many trips around the sun I didn’t live loudly, falling prey to the ignorant notion that I had all the time in the world.

Then one day, I realized I didn’t. Your story probably isn’t much different from mine, save for the differing circumstances that opened your eyes to the fact that life is fleeting.

Seasons change. Graduations come. Children are born, and grandparents die, until one day that solid ground that supports the confidence of youth feels less steady.

It’s then we understand that time is indeed a gift.
And with that gift firmly planted in our hearts and souls, we spend less time chasing the sun, because we can witness the sunset and the miracle in the sunrise. We also accept that chasing the sun is futile and embrace the awesomeness of Creation that was never supposed to be conquered …

only experienced.

Beloved, it is Summertide — an antiquated word that simply means summer is upon us. But heed the wisdom that reminds us that although the air is warm, and the sun is high, the days are shorter.

As the Earth makes its trip around the sun, the door to winter’s darkness has begun to open. We can choose to extend that warmth by moving our bodies to warmer climates, but we can’t miss the message.

Aging is inevitable — living without joy when age comes is not.

Chasing the sun may not be physically possible, or even desirable. But those memories remain — when time seemed to stand still as we basked in the confidence of our youth.

As the days continue to shorten and the nights get longer, may Summertide remind us that this precious gift of time is all we have.

And may this living out loud of our youth be transformed into loving fiercely and living gratefully.

Happy Summertide.
Welcome, September.

Blessed be.