Summer Break at Sources of Insight

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“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and

the lawn mower is broken.” — James Dent

It’s summer.

It’s time for a break.

When I think of Summer, here are a few things I think of …

Catching lightening bugs (though some people called them fire flies.)
Driving with the top down in the Jeep, and a few favorite songs playing on the radio.
Picking strawberries with Mom.
Working out by the lake and wondering just how much pain it takes to gain.
Van Halen and “Hot Summer Nights.”
Day dreaming as the cloud float by and the gentle breeze whips my hair.
Driving to the shore with visions of the beach, the boardwalk, and the sand on my feet.
Star-spangled skies and cannon-like booms on the 4th of July.
Lying in the grass and learning how the bugs lie there, too.
Free-falling at Great Adventure.
Roasting marshmallows over a crackling campfire and the smell of wood smoke.
Ghost stories that were more corny than scary, except one.
The smell of charcoal and the sizzling grill.
The sound of a lawnmower in the distance and the sweet smell of grass.
Riding roller coasters where as they went down, my spirits went up.
Playing wall ball at the little beach and learning how much fun a ball, and a wall can be among friends.
Following back roads on my motorcycle, with the Sun on my back, and wind in my face.
Crickets and frogs at night singing us to sleep.
Fishing in places on a bright Sunny day where it didn’t matter if there were any fish at all.
The local carnival, the Ferris wheel, cotton candy, and winning a little goldfish in a bowl.
Crab apple fights in the streets and garbage can lids as our only armor.
Playing tennis on clay courts under the beating sun, and learning the meaning of “love.”
Catching frogs and turtles with nets in a a boat that barely floated.
Busy little bees buzzing around the gardens in full bloom.
The weirdest insects that I never knew existed.
Catching salamanders down by the stream, and the little babbling brooks.
Swinging from the rope swing out over the little swimming hole under the bridge.
Rock climbing down the cliff, falling, hitting a few trees, and deciding to stick to trees.
Climbing high among the trees and getting a better look as far as the eyes could see.
Summer movie blockbusters and let downs.
Camping and wondering why getting away from it all, and roughing it, just seems so good.
Practicing fly fishing in the backyard, and learning how to finesse a fly.
Picnics in great open fields, where everybody seems to have no place better to be than right here.
Porches and porch swings and screen doors that know how to creak just right.
Pool parties and lobster by the bunches.
Racing golf carts and boldly going where no golf carts had gone before (or ever should.)
Listening to “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and thinking, yeah, today is like that.
Lightening lighting up the lake in brilliant flashes of bright white light.
Building forts and learning what Private Property means.
Watching “I Dream of Jeannie” and wondering what I would do if I ever found a genie in a bottle.
Playing Street Fighter II at the pizza parlor and mastering the hurricane kick and Shoryuken.
Pockets full of quarters while making my way through Gauntlet.
Early morning swimming lessons when the water was too cold, before the Sun was too hot.
Italian ice, and wondering if this time I could eat it before it melts down my hand.
Hot dogs at Benny’s, and his amazing little hot dog cart on the corner by the road.
Summer jobs when it seemed like Summer was not for working.
Backyard camping and learning it’s not how far you go, it’s how free you feel.
Learning the guitar, and realizing how you’re only as good as you practice.
Biking to the magic shop 10 miles away, and learning how Ron’s hands are quicker than the eyes.
Riding horses and wondering why it looked so much easier on T.V.
Gazing up at starry nights and wondering does anything that’s out there matter more than anything that’s right here.
Making a wish upon a star, and then wondering if it didn’t work because maybe it wasn’t really the first star I saw tonight. It was just a plane.
Wondering if I would ever fall asleep, as I lay hot and sweaty in bed.
Seeing just how far I could jump from a swing, and survive.
Finding out why a tire swing is only as good as the tree it hangs from.
Finding out just how dizzy you can get, when you challenge somebody to make the playground roundabout go faster.
Playing kickball and baseball in the streets, and wishing the sun could stay up, just a little longer.
Chasing the Ice Cream truck down and hoping Mom would say yes, since we caught him.
Roller blading too fast and too high down sidewalks, up stairs, and over tables.
Reading some of the best books of my life.
Exploring. After all, that’s what Summer is for.
Spending lazy days on the beach and wondering if it’s worth growing up.
Windsurfing, but mostly trying to stand up.
Trying flippers for the first time and wondering where they had been all my life.
Lemonade and Iced-Tea by the pitcher.
Catching things that probably shouldn’t be caught.
Going on a Burger Quest to find the best burgers in the world (or, at least around town.)
Crabbing and learning what kind of patience it takes to land one.
Vowing to swim with the dolphins only to find out they weren’t actually there.