Summer People

I was reading something recently about two different types of summer people. The first is Group A. They wake up energized right as the sun peaks over the hills and want to squeeze every bit of activity and fun out of the summer. Why waste a minute of daylight lying in bed? These are your early morning hikers, boaters, fishers, runners, climbers. They’re out playing tennis, pickleball, soccer, baseball, golf… often first thing to beat the heat. They’re off berry picking. They’re staying up late hitting festivals and concerts, farmers markets and fairs. They’re driving up to the lake, out with the kayak, mountain biking the trail—basically whatever activity they love they’re out doing it as much as they can because they know come cold February they’ll regret it if they didn’t squeeze every last drop out of summer.

And then there is Group B. This group is okay to go along with some of the above activities, but their intentions are much less about squeezing everything out and instead about soaking it all up. They’re okay to get a late start if laying in that sun-filled bed with nowhere to go is the best gift of summer. Or change plans if relaxing in a chair by the pool reading a book ends up being more fun than whatever else was on the agenda. They’re okay with long, lazy lunches at outdoor cafes, mindless strolls up and down Main Street USA’s with all their flags, out shopping for nothing in particular. They will pick cruiser bikes to ride if they can still chat while they do. They get lost in photography or journaling or sketching or just noodling around on guitar strings, feeling accomplished if they found something beautiful and pleasurable about life that touched their soul. To them, February will be cold regardless of what they do now, so they may as well soak up the season with whatever feels the best—good food, a concert, a nap, or often just a cool fan and a nice couch with someone you love.

Which person are you? Group A or B? Squeeze 🍋 or Soak ☀️?

“Simple Fun” 8x8, available here: https://www.stephaniehock.com/original-paintings