Experience Summertime
“Summertime and the Lovin’ is Easy”… It truly is one of my favorite songs from the musical “Porgy and Bess.” I can hear the tune as I write the words… ”Summertime and the livin’ is easy. Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high.”
Summer is a sweet season and we are all ready to get back out and enjoy the time with our friends and family. But what could that look like with family and friends this summer? After a most unusual and difficult year with the challenges of virtual school and work and the dramatic increase in anxiety and exhaustion thanks to the complications of the covid virus, stepping back into a “normal” summer might seem daunting. I know after this year we are more than ready and hopeful for “livin’ easy.”
So how can we find that this summer? How do we venture out after being hunkered down for the past year?
Blessings come when we can take a deep breath and rediscover the joy that is summer. Think of small ways that you can experience pleasure and find some peace after the turbulent year.
Here are a few suggestions:
Take a picnic to a local park. We are blessed to live in a beautiful area with a lot of public parks and places to explore.
Visit a local market and try out new recipes with fresh fruits or vegetables.
Camp in the yard and pitch a tent or sleep under the stars and study the constellations.
Start a garden with vegetables and flowers.
Enjoy a summer rain with a summer book.
Visit the Nature Center or the Arboretum.
Have water fun: swim, fish, make a slip-and-slide or play in the yard with a hose.
Be patient with yourself and others as we all begin to re-engage, exploring anew the old places. Find things and activities that make you joyful and dive into them this summer!
Ellen Begley – LCMHCS, NCC, RN
We are available on our phone number 828.669.9798 or by visiting our website www.blackmountaincounseling.org.
