Summing up Summer.
Growing up in Florida where the average temperature is 73 degrees Fahrenheit, one could say that you truly don’t know what summer really means. I mean how could you? For many, summer is a time of year where you can take off the winter coat and let your pasty white skin feel the warm rays of the sun. A time where people take up all sorts of outdoor activities, a time that makes even the oldest, grumpiest person, feel just a little bit younger. For most, summer is a time that comes and goes in the blink of an eye.
They spend 9 months waiting for those blissful 2 or 3 months of beautiful warm weather. In some cites I hear that if it’s a sunny day out, you can count on half the people calling in sick, and then hitting the beach or the local park. I am now starting to realize how lucky I was to grow up in such a tropical place. It has taken me 31 years to actually realize what the word “summer” really means. I never knew summer was more then a word, I didn’t know that it was something you could feel, something you could smell, and even touch. I guess that’s the one and only bad thing about growing up in a tropical place, “Seasons” don’t mean a whole lot. It took me spending 6 weeks in northern Ontario Canada to learn my first lesson in summer.
When I arrived in Canada it was early July, pretty much the start of summer. A time where people where opening up their summer homes, and getting things ready to enjoy summer. There was something in the air, a feeling of things coming alive. After traveling the world for nearly 5 years now, I must say I have been to some pretty sweet place, and seen some really amazing things, but my 6 weeks in “Cottage Country” has been by far one of the most amazing times in my life.
There are a few reason why I feel I enjoyed it soo much, #1 The fact I was able to spend some time with my family, which I have neglected for the last 12 years of my life. #2 the pure fact that I was truly living in the “moment”, there was no other place I “felt” I needed to be, no other place seemed better, the “now” was prefect. I think I am starting to get the hang of the whole idea of living life that way. It truly is amazing how it can affect your outcome. I only wish I would have known this 5 years ago when I started traveling. I have spent the last 5 years, totally screwing up my trips by being on a beautiful beach somewhere dreaming of being somewhere else, somewhere more “fun” or a place where friends were etc…. there was always somewhere else I wanted to be, the present moment was never good enough.
I will look back on this summer as not only one of my favorite moments, but the fact that I was able to get to know my family a little better. If someone asked me about my dad’s parents (which they died when I was 15) I would not be able to say anything, I can barley remember what they look like. It sometimes is funny how we spend our whole lives trying to meet other people and learn about them, but we never care to learn about the people that share the same DNA with us. I am so happy that I was able to spend time in a place where there is a lot of family history. Most families have some sort of place that has been in the family for a long time, a place where your family grew up. Well for my family this is the only place we have. Unfortunately due to greed, I feel that this place won’t be around much longer, so I am glad to have be able to enjoy it and engrain the images and moments in my head that I will never forget, things that no one can take away from me.
It has only been 2 weeks since I left Canada, but I find myself again in a warm place. I have been thrown back into reality, “reality TV that is”. The weather here in Los Angeles is sunny like always. The other day I looked at the temperature in Canada and the high was 55 degrees…. Wow its 88 here. So as I continue to wear shorts and sandals, my Canadian friends are starting to get ready for winter! My 6 week golden brown tan is slowly fading, but the memories will last forever….. and that’s…. how I sum up my summer!
Posted by Jimmy under California, Canada, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Updates |
