“Spring being a
tough act to follow,
God created June.” 
Al Bernstein

In his book, The Winter of Our Discontent, author John Steinbeck wrote, “In early June, the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes, and every sunset is different.” Well, early June has arrived once again. Steinbeck’s words are as timely today as they were the day he wrote them. While the official beginning of summer doesn’t arrive until the evening of Friday, June 20th, in my mind June 1st has always been, and will always be, the first day of summer.

June is a month of celebrations — birthdays, weddings, graduations, anniversaries, vacation trips, barbecues, Father’s Day, and both the official and unofficial start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. In June we enjoy warmer days and longer daylight hours. It’s a glorious time of the year.

I learned something new about the month of June recently. The Farmers’ Almanac points out that June “…is all about peace and love. Between the resurgence of happiness in May and the strength that resonates in July, June is a month of balance.” I like that! A number of writers from the Renaissance Period pointed out that balance is necessary for our overall health and well-being. I’ve certainly found this to be true in my life. Too much or too little of just about anything can leave us in a funk.

Here’s another interesting fact I recently learned. June is Men’s Health Month, a time to bring special awareness to health issues commonly affecting men. Men have a well-earned reputation for avoiding medical help, even when it’s obvious that such help is needed. The American theme of rugged individualism hasn’t necessarily served men well in this regard. To have a month set aside to increase awareness of men’s health issues, and to encourage men to seek professional help when necessary, is certainly prudent.

As a writer, I think of my life as a long-running story. Day by day, week by week, and month by month, I continue to write my story. Since I am a firm believer that everyone has a unique life story to share, I’ll end today’s blog post with these words of advice: It’s a new month. Turn the page. Your story is still being written.