It’s almost summertime.
For school-age kids, summer and fun go hand in hand. We can all remember that liberating feeling of the last days of school: the sense of freedom was palpable. It didn’t matter if there were grand plans like sleepaway camp and vacation or simple backyard adventures. Summer was going to be great.
For adults, summer loses some of its glam and glitz. Nothing much changes in the summertime – except that in addition to a day job, you also have to keep your kids entertained. For those without small children, the summer isn’t very different than the rest of the year, aside from the fact that it’s hotter and more crowded.
But you loved summer for the first twenty years of your life. Isn’t it worthwhile to try to preserve the charm and optimism of summertime into adulthood?
Summer is a special time of year. It is a time to feel free – if not from school, perhaps from the drudgery of winter routine.
In the summer, many new things become possible. With daylight extending into evening hours, summer date nights can turn into sunset hikes on a trail (perhaps even in the company of a rising full moon). With a bottle of wine and a pair of sneakers, you can enjoy all the magic of summer nights in the great outdoors.
Yes, it’s hot here in Israel. Which means no jackets or raincoats required. Ever.
In the summertime, you can pack up for a trip with just a change in t-shirt and a pair of flip flops.
In Israel, you can reasonably sleep outside in a tent without worrying about rain. Perhaps you’ll camp out by a stream or next to the beach. And when you’re out on that trip, you can spontaneously jump into the water to cool down with confidence that you’ll dry out in no time.
The crickets and cicadas are chirping. Magical sunrises and sunset are waiting. Armed with a thermos of iced coffee, you can get outside to experience the feeling of pure joy that comes with consuming something freezing cold on a hot day.
You can take an evening walk on the beach or boardwalk. Or watch the sunset from your favorite spot in nature with a picnic dinner. You can eat watermelon.
Summer is amazing.
Now that you’re all grown-up, it’s all too easy to let the routine of life get in the way of summer fun. But don’t let this nostalgia filled season pass you by without making time to enjoy its many pleasures. Get out there and make the most of this fabulously freeing time of year called summer.
