Pope John Paul II said that “even though you are young, the time for action is now! It is time to let your light shine! Remember, Christ is calling you; the Church needs you; the pope believes in you, and he expects great things of you!” I have found this quote to be extremely motivational. There are some days when I feel tempted to hide behind my typical excuse: “It’s summertime, I can be lazy!” Pope John Paul II reminds us that we are able-bodied and have plenty of potential.

For me, summertime helps me step back, look around my life and evaluate the path I’m taking. When I was in high school, I tried to look forward at what I hoped to achieve the following school year. One year, I really wanted to go on a school trip to Europe. The summer before the trip, I dedicated some extra time at work to save money for the trip. Working a fast-food job is not glamourous, and there were many days I wanted to quit and spend the rest of my summer in vegetation.

However, the trip was expensive and my parents made it clear to me I was not stepping on a plane to Europe unless I contributed some of my own expenses. I craved the excitement of travel, discovering new cultures and the freedom with my friends. In that summer, I learned how to really save my money. I learned to appreciate the value of hard work. I balanced that summer with work, spending time with family and friends and spending extra time on the piano and writing.

Summertime is an opportunity we should grasp. We can discover ourselves by dabbling in hobbies we’ve always wanted to try and also devote extra time into activities we already love. It is a great time to leap out of our comfort zones.

Summertime is no excuse to seclude ourselves from the world simply because “it’s too hot,” or because “I don’t feel like doing anything.” It gives us ample time to immerse ourselves further into the community. Volunteering is a great selfless act that enables you to meet other incredible people in your area. Summertime is for selfdiscovery. It provides us with time to build stronger bonds with our family and friends. It also reminds us that we are not defined by our jobs or our grade-point averages. Devoting time to our passions, our relationships and our faith is like fitting in the correct puzzle pieces. It is what brings us closer to knowing ourselves and in return, it makes us better people for the world around us.

(Jereza is a second-year journalism student at Ryerson University.)