The joy we had in developing our Summer seasonal feature soap, “Islandfest”, has me thinking about living in season. I’ve been listening to “How to be Well” by Dr. Frank Lipman on audible (thanks, Goop, for the recommendation), and the last chapter resonated with me and brought back to light things I’ve read years ago about ayurvedic seasonal eating. But it’s more than just eating. We are happiest and healthiest when we are living in season. I think that’s why we all have visceral reactions when the Big Box stores start showing school supplies in July and Christmas decorations in October. So many different traditions of medicine and healthy living arrive at the same conclusion: We are meant to live in season.

For me, living in the Summer season means walking barefoot in the grass, staying outside late for a campfire with the stars and the lightning bugs, and swimming in the cool lake on a hot day. It means taking it easy and sipping on a light beer in the middle of the day. Not working my brain quite so hard. It sounds like kids laughing and playing in a sprinkler. A dog leaping into the air to catch a tossed ball. It smells like charcoal briquettes, lighter fluid, boat fuel, and bug spray. It tastes like salty, buttered corn on the cob.

I hope you embrace the Summer season, whatever that means for you. Turn off the TV. Put your phone away (after you read this!). Get outside. Sing with the birds. Play tag. Lie down on a picnic blanket with nothing on your agenda but studying cloud formations and finally finding that four-leaf clover you’ve been looking for since you were six.