Summer brings a literal explosion of LIFE here in the mountains of my home. The forested hillsides become an ocean of green leaves. In the meadows and along the roadsides you see buttercups, dandelions, sweet clover, daisies, black eyed Susan’s and Queen Anne’s Lace. Butterflies and bumblebees dance above them. In the trees dozens of species of birds are singing love songs, building nests, and raising babies. You can just feel the LIFE in the air each time you go outside.

Just last evening as I took my dogs out for their last walk of the day I saw: a majestic hawk flying beneath the pink clouds caused by the setting sun, a thousand fireflies blinking their lights in the meadow behind my house, a squirrel scurrying up a tree with a nut in its mouth, a bunny rabbit hopping home from a day of nibbling grass, a deer coming out of the woods for a last meal in the meadow before it got dark, and my daughter’s adopted stray cat, “Alice” laying down for her nineteenth nap of the day. As I looked at it all I felt a peace, contentment, and joy in my heart and I found it fitting that my home state’s nickname is “Almost Heaven.”

I also felt a great desire welling up in me to take my place in all of this Life. I wanted to live. I wanted to learn. I wanted to shine my light. I wanted to share my love. I wanted to do good. I wanted to be kind. I wanted to help others. I wanted to make this beautiful, blessed world even better with the life I lived. I looked around one last time and thanked God for letting me be a part of this wonderful world and this sacred life.

God created this glorious universe and this beautiful planet for us to live, to learn, and to love in. Don’t hide from it. Take your place in it instead. Live with purpose. Share your love. Shine your light. Let your sacred soul become one with this sacred life.