Dear Residents and Friends,
Traditionally the “dog days of summer” arrive in August, and the higher temperatures lead many of us to spend less time outside and more time just sitting alone in our homes. How we adjust to these higher temperatures can greatly affect our state of mind or feeling, and, some might even say, our overall disposition. Thankfully, there are many things we can do to keep from being grouchy and offending our neighbors. After all, “attitude is everything”.
Now I know attitude cannot lower the temperature, but it can certainly help in the way we adjust to it. For example, the higher afternoon temperatures provide a perfect excuse to hone your puzzle skills while you make a new friend at one of the two puzzle tables set up in our lobbies. The right attitude might even enable you to lose a couple of pounds by simply switching to eating your large meal at noon, instead of at suppertime. I know I would be more comfortable during these dog days if the late afternoon hours were spent napping or reading in the comfort of my home rather than dressing for an early evening meal. Of course, managing energy consumption is equally important during these summer days. The simple task of closing drapes when we are not in our homes can greatly reduce energy consumption and help to maintain a comfortable temperature. Drinking plenty of water not only is important to one’s daily life, but it too is a can be a boost to one’s personal energy and to one’s attitude.
I believe that the most significant decision I can make is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my successes or my failures. Attitude can be the single thing that keeps me going or cripples my progress. When our attitude is right, there is no barrier too high or a challenge that cannot be met. Keeping this in mind, I hope you will join me in not complaining about the August heat, but in finding ways to make the best of it. Soon enough the “dog days of summer” will be gone and fall foliage will embrace us.
Michael Escamilla,
Executive Director
