August

Have you ever noticed that August has it's own sound? or maybe more accurately, it's own LACK of sound? August in NorthWest Montana is so.... muted ... and heavy. Oh, no doubt, the crickets are droning- and they are LOUD, but they are a background noise that adds to the quiet. And occasionally, you'll hear a bird- but for the most part, August is subdued.

And August, also, has a weight to it. Its usually very hot- very still- and it seems like the silence presses down.  I'm having a difficult time describing it- but if you've ever been here in August, you'll know what I mean. Even the animals move stealthily, appearing and disappearing without making a noise. I, often, find myself holding my breath, and moving as soundlessly as possible down the path. I tend to tiptoe through August.

August, also, carries a message. Very quietly, but somberly, August exudes the message of: Time is running out! Whether that means Summer is almost over, or your days are numbered, depends on where your life is at the moment... But the message is there, loud and strong. Quiet and heavy. Hot and still.

I hold my breath in August. I stand quietly and listen. I hear and consider what August has to tell me.

 I prepare.