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Summer is My Soul
Ahhh. My shoulders relaxed and a beautiful warmth enveloped my body, as I exited the airport in Orlando on that March day more than 40 years ago. It was my first trip to a Southern state. I left the snow, wind, and freezing temps of Rhode Island, and arrived to the relative warmth of Florida. Growing up, I knew that I loved Summer, but until that moment, I never realized just how much Winter affected both my body and my mood. Summer temperatures always make me feel as though I have come home to myself.
Years later, I was fortunate to live in Hawaii for 16 years. I never wanted to leave. We had no AC in the house, and there were very few days when I felt the need to escape the tropical temperatures. A ceiling fan and cool cotton sheets lulled me into deep relaxation and peaceful sleep. Heat and a touch of humidity loosen any tension I am holding in my body, in ways that thick, heavy blankets and heating pads cannot.
I have met few people who actually enjoy the same type of weather that I relish. Living back in Rhode Island again, people start to complain as soon as a touch of real summer weather arrives. I am amazed by all my neighbors who never open their windows — they go from heat to a/c. They miss out on the birdsong and the smells of the grass and flowers. Many say they prefer the colder weather, and I don’t doubt them. Yet it seems to me that most people just prefer the indoors.
I am in my element right now. My soul is alive as I watch seedlings sprout into sweet peas and zinnias. I lie back on a chaise, close my eyes, and am grateful for the gift of relaxation and peace that will sustain me through the Winter.
