Wish you time to Wonder

by Jessica Delaney, Principal, Engagement and Strategic Communications

Dear Friends, Summer is nearly here.

The summer solstice is around the corner and it’s one of my favourite days. For me, June 21 is all about summer and the possibilities it holds. I get excited by long days and nights where the sun seems to not sleep much. I have more energy and a thirst to wonder and ponder. For this summer, I wish you time to wonder. To go for walks with no destination, to lose track of time while at the beach, to bike with the only destination being an ice cream cone and to watch the stars are they appear while sipping something wonderful. Working in community engagement can be exciting and energizing, but it can also be depleting. Being an active listener, focussing on the needs of others and putting aside ones’ own perspectives are key to being a great engagement professional, but it can be exhausting.

Summer provides the time and space to ponder. To think about everything from butterflies, to what your next normal looks like in the fall and as we start (hopefully) to emerge beyond the pandemic. My wish is that you take time to ponder and don’t default to your pre-pandemic settings unless they served you well. Most of all, I hope you treasure the gift of summer. Bring intention to your fun. Plan time to do nothing. Enjoy summer nights and days planned around what gives you joy because they will go fast and soon we will be talking back to school.