Everywhere were peace and stillness, as though all the elements were obeying the sacred law of calm and silence imposed by the blazing heat. –Sadegh Hedayat

Recently we had an extremely hot spell in New York City. What made it more grueling was the extremely high humidity that accompanied the blazing heat. It seemed that summer brutally entered our lives, our windows, our homes, our streets. People appeared to be barely moving as the heat blasted off the stone buildings and up from the concrete sidewalks. Air conditioners roared, and the fear of a power outages were never far from mind. The intense sun dried up flowers and plants everywhere.

A lot of people complained that it was just too hot, that it was too early to have that kind of weather so early in the summer.

But in many places in New York City – and around the world – people don’t have air conditioning – not even fans to help them to cool down. People hang out windows, sit on fire escapes and stoops or under the shade of a tree trying to catch a tiny bit of breeze. Some get sick or even die from the intense heat.

When my dad was alive, he often reminded me that in every event or happening, even in every discomfort, we should be open to seeing what we can learn from the experience. He told me that the drought and Dust Bowl of the 1930s taught people many important lessons – such as not to be greedy and try to plow every inch of the land; to plant hedges and bushes to stop the wind from blowing the dirt away; to work with neighbors to help one another be more comfortable or even survive.

So what can we learn when we face challenging times of high humidity and heat? Certainly we know it is a time to slow down our fast lives, to walk more slowly, to sit quietly, to meditate on the changes in the climate and what we might need to do about that. And undoubtedly we should be more compassionate and caring for people who are less privileged than we are.

As I slow down and ponder the heat, I’m remembering Ecclesiastes 3: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted.” Yes, we have so much to learn.

• When the temperature goes up, what can you learn from the weather?
• As you look around you, do you know whom you might want to reach out to and help?

Beloved Creator, as we go through days of heat and humidity, help us to learn something. May we take appropriate actions of compassion and kindness to others and to our planet. May we be reminded to slow down, to rest and restore our souls. May we feel the heat of Your Presence in our lives. Amen.

Joy Carol
www.joycarol.com