Summer: Always the Same, Always Changing

I love summer, for so many reasons. Getting dressed in the summer means shorts, a tee shirt, and sandals – so quick, so simple. I love the Farmers’ Markets, with the fresh fruit and vegetables, especially the corn, plus the freshly baked biscuits and scones. Having grown up by the beach, every sunny day was spent at the beach, often with snack breaks of ice cream or fried clams, two of the most perfect foods.

When I moved to central Pennsylvania in my mid-twenties, I was surprised when there were no beaches nearby, surprised to learn that some people went to a river to swim or boat. That never seemed right to me. Maybe that’s part of the reason that I moved back to this coast.

A month ago, when beach season began here, my husband and I put the beach chairs in the back of his truck and headed to the beach with my beach bag, loaded with my towel, a beach hat, sun screen, a change purse, and my water bottle. Not a single use, bought water bottle, but my glass, reusable one. As a climate activist, I can’t look at a single use plastic bottle without imagining it as trash in the middle of the ocean, where, in fact, it’s likely to end up, despite our best intentions.

When we arrived at the beach, to ‘our’ usual spot, we joined the half dozen others who we hadn’t seen since the end of last summer. All equally happy to be resuming our seasonal ritual, we exchanged greetings as we settled into our chairs, asking about the past winter and who had already gone into the water. Because in May, the ocean temperature was only in the 60’s, most of our group had only dipped their feet. Paul was the only one who had been swimming almost daily, short swims, but satisfying to him. I’d been to the beach with him often, to walk along the shore, waiting while he took a quick dip before resuming our walk.

Being barefoot in the sand, walking while avoiding the seashells — that’s my favorite way to walk. Although I grew up on the coast more than seventy years ago, it’s only been the last couple of years that the seashells I see have changed. That’s in response to the warming ocean temperature, an explicit reminder of the reality of climate change. I am reminded of human beings’ having a temperature. Even a sustained two-degree increase in our body’s temperature is an indication of illness and a serious warning. Our ocean’s increase is a similar warning. Some of its creatures cannot endure the warming temperatures.

In May, the beach snack shop was not yet open. This week, to my delight, the shop is open and I order one of my favorites, watermelon slush. There is nothing better than slurping watermelon slush on a hot day at the beach, after a walk, barefoot in the sand, with an occasional ocean splash.

I recognize the privilege of having this beach – and others – available to me on a hot day, with the option of sitting in the shade of the beach house. It was also a privilege when I was working, hoping for a sunny weekend. Now, retired, I can pick ANY sunny day for this treat, not just a Saturday or a Sunday. That is truly an additional privilege.

This first week of summer, when most of it stretches ahead of me, is the best! Life feels full and truly a blessing, feeling unending. Of course, it will end, both this summer and my life, at some point, but today, I will simply enjoy and appreciate.