Summertime is something that has escaped me because of the climate where I’m located. I’m definitely not complaining because I could be in 100+ degrees Fahrenheit temperatures. However, the past couple of days has seen summertime weather break through from nowhere. This summertime is different as I’ve put a lot on the line to move several steps closer to my dreams, goals, desires (fill in the blank with appropriate phrase). On one hand, it is as if I’m on a three month vacation in an idyllic location that many would love to visit. On the other hand, because the direction of my future hangs in the balance, it is more like a tense time of uncertainty and anxiety, mixed with moments of resignation and frustration. Today, I made desperate pleas to the universe, requested any divine intervention on my behalf, did Reiki and prayed for a positive outcome on something that came up. After doing what I could do, I then decided it was time for me to leave all of that tense anxiety alone and to get outside to take in some of the abundant summertime. During times like these, I lean on and embrace the restorative power of nature to move me beyond anxiety. I hopped on the bike and decided to pedal to where my two legs on two wheels could take me. For over two hours, I went into the heart of Summertime. I passed pastures where cows where grazing and sleeping. I passed sheep that were peacefully eating. I marveled at horses leisurely roaming. Insects, usually a concern for me while in nature, didn’t bother me. A few came along (on me) for a free ride and one dragonfly had a T-bone collision with my chest from which I hope he recovered. On my route, I passed houses that were at once removed from the hustle and bustle of the high-density population area I started from but only a 20 or 30 minute bicycle ride away. As I pedaled in this area, one of the things that overcame me echoes the lyrics from the song “Summertime”. “Summertime, and the living is easy.” The ride enlisted almost all of my senses (except taste). I saw the interplay of light and shadow as I rode along a tree-lined route. At times, I heard the gurgle of water lazily flowing through the canals under dense cover of underbrush. I could also hear the sound of the air rushing past my ears as I rode along. I smelled the intensely earthy smell that animals, water and earth can make. Unlike areas with animals clustered close together, this smelled good and it smelled right. As I pedaled in this area, enjoying the alternating coolness of the shade and the warmth of the sun, life for a couple of hours felt easy. The concerns that were foremost on my mind faded away as I imagined what it would be like to wake up in one of the houses along the way and live what seemed to be a peaceful, idyllic and serene life in this most tranquil setting. Although those exact houses are not on my list of desires (although I did see notices for a couple of houses that WERE for sale), that peaceful feeling of being in such a tranquil setting, experiencing being alive with almost all of my senses will stay with me after today. Hopefully it won’t be until tomorrow, lol. With Summertime being the title and theme of this post, I give you the great Sam Cooke whose delivery of this song mirrors how I felt on this ride. Enjoy!