Each spring I find myself excited by the bursting forth of new growth, energized by the nourishing elixir of a new cycle. Symbolized by the budding vegetation that erupts from the womb of Mother Earth, this is a time of great fertility and renewal. In this climate, I am spurred on to explore new ideas and to create new opportunities that reflect my inner passions. It is a magical time for me. But as I transit this time of fertile creativity, I inevitably find myself faced with long days of lingering heat that begin to squelch my enthusiasm and I wonder… what value do these Dog Days of Summer hold?  In the context of aging, such a question becomes profound when one considers how this time of life, with its waning youth and advancing years, can be valued for what it provides. For are we not still the same creative and passionate beings that we were in the springtime of our lives?  Is the late summer and early Fall not a time of harvest and productivity in its own right? I am still moved by the natural cycles and rhythms that surround me and that exist within me. Age does not change that. What does change though is my focus. Creation for the sake of ego stroking has abated. Now I create in order to FEEL deeply and to express my soul’s voice. This is my harvest. This is the purpose of this time of my life – this time of Dog Days and harvest.

So, is there value in the Dog Days of Summer? Absolutely! The challenge exists in finding a way to love this time of the life cycle in equal measure to that of any other stage, for it too has purpose.  Its value can neither be measured nor compared.

“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.”
~ George Santayana