Let’s focus on the good things.

I remember when I was a student in middle school and I was really having a tough time getting good grades, learning how to study; my father saw me struggling and in noticing that my problem was focus he brought me a candle, set it on the dining table where I had my books spread out in front of me and lit the candle. It was broad daylight so you can imagine my confusion. He said just focus on the flame, whenever you get distracted bring your thoughts back to the flame and then back to studying.

This month as I sat contemplating what candles mean to me and in general, one thing resonated — they aren’t just meant for illuminating the dark winter months. Summer is for illumination, everywhere is filled with strong light. That’s on the outside. But the inside needs light and what brings that inner light? The things that make us happy, fill us with joy and make us smile when we look at them experience them. So the onus was on me to come up with a list of things that makes me happy and capture them in pictures which you will see appear throughout the month of July: blueberries, lemons, basil-garlic-plum tomato sauce with spaghetti, jasmine hydrageas, lavender, sunlight, hanging clothes outside, dinner outdoors, summer sandals, summer perfume, summer reading. To end it all off I’m going to try to distill the month into a scent, one over-riding smell that captures what that month’s experiences were. The essence of the memory of July.

How would you like to express your light this month? If you’re reading this at the beginning of July gently ask yourself what pleasures you would like to have in July? What would you like more of? If instead you’re stumbled up this article at the end of the month, how then have you lived the light of July in your world?

Like my father did with me, try lighting a candle and focusing on the good that already surrounds you.