As you start this new week, may you learn to let go of imperfections. When your child invites a neighbor to come over, or shows up with a car full of teens, be mindful of the gifts that surround you as they come into the house or out into the yard or the pool.

Learn to not look around at the things that are wrong – your house a wreck, your agenda messed with, your to-do list not complete, the food you may need to provide.

Instead, embrace the beauty of summer. Sprinklers, popsicles, chips and popcorn. Pool time, hot sunny days, and floating schedules. People, babies, toddlers, tweens and teens.

My daughter reminded me, Mom, you love to have people over. I quickly changed my bad attitude, as it had caught me off guard when they all showed up. I said, Baby, it’s not about perfection, it’s about being given notice.

But do I really need notice? Spontaneous can be good.

The years go by quickly, they are fleeting and fast, and before you know it, you’ll have a pool that never gets used, or a patio that gets dusty, and deep inside you’ll long for the years when you were needed and people wanted to be in your home.

Learn to embrace summer, the carefree days, a floating agenda, the freedom and beauty of children.

Share what’s on hand, and set aside your angst for their joy.

Summertime is a great time to remember that there are some things that are way more important than waiting for the perfect moment.

As you start this week, may you be mindful of the people put in your life that surround you with good. Take note of the details of these people—the way they hold themselves, how they listen, the color and mood they seem to represent, the beauty that’s found deep within everyone.

May you remember to look at people as people, and not as projects, or as conduits for your productivity. May you resist the temptation to rush through relationships in order to find the prize, or to check off your list “coffee with a friend.” Slow down, listen well, and bravely ask more questions than talk about yourself. Show that you care.

And when good questions are asked you by a good friend, don’t be afraid to answer honestly. Be a true friend by being real, and don’t be afraid to cry. Or laugh until you snort.

And if you feel lonely? Be that good friend to someone else, even if that “someone else” doesn’t quite feel like a kindred spirit. Do your best to be be patient in the waiting—you might be surprised at what you find. Loneliness is often used to build our character in profound ways we don’t notice until we’re on the other side.

All people—friends, spouses, parents, children, neighbors—are gifts in some form. Embrace their offering in your life, whatever that may be.