“Summer afternoon–summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ”
Unlike many of the winter holidays, which tend to fold us into our most intimate groups of friends and family, summer holidays have a broader, more inclusive feel to me. It is a time when the borders between lawns become less distinct, when we mix together in public parks and on the shores of our lakes and rivers.
I value this summer blending. I feel we need the spirit of summer in America to help bring us together. Whatever divisions we face–however driven by politics, the media, economics, and our difficult shared history–summer holidays are the times when we come closest to a single, grateful neighborhood joined in admiration of the civility, humanity, and freedom which make us great.
I hope it is this way for you. I hope these summer breaks also restore and recharge you, while reminding you we are part of a continuous fabric, dependent on one another for the collective good.
