Memories, the promise of change, and a fresh start

August holds so many memories. After many years of being a teacher and principal I recall the joy and anticipation of getting a classroom ready for a new year and of meeting a new class of students and parents. I love the idea of starting over, getting a fresh start. I’ve often said that one of the gifts of being a teacher is being able to experience the hope and the anticipation of a new beginning each year. I hope each of us can have a sense of that in whatever we’re doing now.

August holds many memories of summer. We can look back and savor the time spent with friends and family. The days are still long and warm, but there is a whisper, a promise of change. The fruits of the earth are ripening under the hot sun, signaling that the season of harvest is drawing near.

August also calls us to readiness – not just for the busier rhythms of fall, but for the ongoing transformation God desires for each of us.

In our spiritual life, August invites us to reflect on the ripeness of our own hearts. What has grown in us these past months? What fruits of patience, empathy, listening, hospitality or wisdom are we ready to offer others? To family, to friends and neighbors, to a suffering nation and world?

August also calls us to readiness – not just for the busier rhythms of fall, but for the ongoing transformation God desires for each of us. The quiet preparation of the soul mirrors the fields preparing for harvest. Let us enter this month with a sense of reverence for all that is coming to fruition and with a willingness to be gathered into something greater than ourselves. 

We at Sophia are ready to welcome you to a new season of zoom retreats and onsite retreats. We have time and space for you to come for a few days of silence and reflection and renewal. Be assured of our prayers for you during these final hot days of summer.