Summer: More Than Just a Season
“Summer: More Than Just a Season”
There’s something about the first day of summer that hits differently. Maybe it’s the nostalgia of childhood—riding bikes until the streetlights came on, drinking too much red Kool-Aid, and burning our feet on hot pavement as we ran through sprinklers. Maybe it’s the warmth in the air that feels less like weather and more like an invitation to slow down, even just a little.
Summer, for all its heat and chaos, has a quiet magic to it. It’s the time of year when life both speeds up and slows down at the same time. Days stretch longer. The sun takes its time saying goodbye. People linger on porches a little later. And there’s that golden hour—the one just before sunset—that makes everything feel softer, lighter, almost sacred.
But let’s be honest, summer isn’t all sunshine and sandals. It’s also sweat. It’s heat indexes that make you question your life choices. It’s mosquitoes that somehow find the one inch of skin you forgot to spray. It’s air conditioning bills that feel like ransom notes. It’s the battle of staying hydrated without giving up your will to drink Pibb.
Even with the discomfort, summer reminds me to be present. I find myself watching the corgis lounge in the sun like royalty, their fluffy butts parked squarely in the middle of the backyard as if they own it—which, let’s face it, they do. I hear kids laughing in the distance and remember that joy can be simple. I see lightning bugs flicker across the lawn and feel just a little closer to the person I used to be—curious, carefree, and content with now.
This season isn’t about having it all together. It’s about melting a little and still smiling. It’s about standing in the middle of your messy life and thinking, “Yeah, but at least the sunsets are gorgeous.” It’s about chasing the good stuff, even if you’re doing it with sunscreen in one hand and a fan in the other.
So here’s to summer. To fireflies and flip-flops, to night walks and stormy skies, to memories still being made and moments we didn’t know we needed. The world might still feel heavy, but for just a while, let the sunshine in. Let yourself laugh a little louder. Let yourself live a little slower. Let yourself soak it in—even if you have to do it in the shade.
– Dr. Nick 🌞
