You’re in no rush, July, rolling in with your bright mornings, meandering hot afternoons, and endless evenings when the sun doesn’t want to say goodnight. You beg us to bite into ripe peaches and sip fresh lemonade without checking our phones or ticking off to-do lists. You invite us to wander down the street in search of wildflowers, pluck dandelions, and make wishes. Whether you lull us to sleep with your languid heat or energize us with a sudden burst of rain, your cadence makes us feel temporarily free from everything that usually seems so important.

Still, July, we’d like to pause within your carefree essence and connect with our roots, too—the things that truly are important. We want to dig our bare feet into the soil, with appreciation for everything it sustains. We want to dip our toes in the nearest body of water and let its refreshment fill our veins with wonder at its preciousness. We wish to sit beneath a shady tree or wander through the majestic elegance of a forest on a hot day, with reverence for the cool, purified air enveloping us. We want to crush fresh leaves of mint and basil between our fingertips, inhale their delicious scents, and appreciate that nature’s aromatics are unmatched. And we want to ground ourselves in the truth that this beautiful planet is ours to care for—because if not us, then who?

All this is to say, July, we hope to accept your gifts of undemanding summertime bounty with gratitude—the kind we can feel from the tips of our toes digging into the dirt, all the way to the tops of our heads and the centers of our hearts. Let’s fill your empty page with colors, shapes, and, sometimes, even words that aren’t trying to become anything—just to enjoy being.

The Isely Family