This week, the week after July 4th, is one of the busiest times of the year. Oh yes, it’s a well-known fact. You might think it’s the slow, sleepy days of summer, but actually, there is a festival of celebrations constantly going on among those who enjoy celebrating the celebrations that celebrate the endless supply of reasons to celebrate. This phenomenon probably got started as a consolation prize for those folks who just can’t get enough of a good thing. I’m guessing last week these folks couldn’t get enough fireworks, hotdogs, and pets in patriotic costumes. So, in the spirit of celebrating just for the sake of celebrating, we are listing some of the smaller scale celebrations out there. In July, we have dozens of special days and celebrations. For example, National Picnic Month kicks off the list. This self-explanatory celebration extols the importance of honoring the wonderful tradition of picnics by “having a picnic”. What better way to bring out our basic instincts of eating outside and oneness with nature complete with ants, poisonous plants and ravenous animal friends in the forest? On July 11, you can celebrate “Educational Awareness Month”. Most teachers and students will celebrate this observance, I would imagine, by having an “I’m so glad I’m not in school” party. Following this, is July’s “Community Awareness Month” which can be appropriately celebrated by honoring the community with a picnic and an out-of-school party. Next comes” National Environmental Awareness Month” during July where awareness of our environment can be celebrated by picking up the trash from the picnic, while you enjoy the beauty of the outdoors because you are celebrating education by not being in the classroom. Confusing, isn’t it? This is the reason that July 12 is “National Simplicity Day”. In a stroke of genius, this actual celebration reminds us that the true joy of living is not in what we have, but what we don’t have. I feel better already! A description taken from National Simplicity Day literature says, “in the complicated world that we inhabit today where mobile phones, laptops and other modern-day gadgets mean that we very rarely experience true peace and quiet to gather our thoughts, what better excuse to leave the technology at home and experience the feeling of truly being in the moment”. Sounds to me like the “Simplicity” folks need to simplify their core belief statement just a little. The good thing about all these special National celebration days is you can have one of your very own absolutely free. So come up with your reason to celebrate and have a star-spangled good time. I’m working on mine right now. How bout “National Send a Dog to College Day?
