Lazy, or To Be

It feels like the Dog Days in August, and yet, we haven't even reached the Summer Solstice. Looking out the window, it is easy to pretend, from the conditioned air comfort, that it is a beautiful spring day. There is not a trace of a cloud in the sky. Everything is in bloom, with shades of green and vibrant colorful flowers. The sun shines bright and clear. Everything looks crisp.

Then, you walk out side, and it is like you have stepped into another dimension. It feels a bit like the few times I tried Bikram Hot Yoga, forced movement with determination to accomplish a goal. When you step outside now, you are blasted with the heat and humidity, and it takes your breath away. The squirrels hide, and the birds fly as if they mean business, and then are engulfed again into the trees. Even the mosquitoes become invisible during the day. Everything moves at a different pace.

I have tried to slow the pace a bit, too. It is really difficult for me, because it seems sometimes that my life dictates constant action. Perhaps the lazy days of summer are supposed to be exactly that. Time for relaxing, socializing, and moving a little slow. It is a good time to enjoy a New Orleans style Snowball at MAM's in the Heights. Sometimes a cool destination, both in temperature, and in style, is just what is needed to face the Houston summer heat.

Even in the evening, the air is so still, you can almost touch it. Then, later, the breeze begins. Seated on my patio, I can hear the sounds of the city. It comes back to life when the sun goes down. Traffic, sirens, people, breeze, the hum of life, and the music from Miller Outdoor Theatre.

Enjoying the lazy part of the lazy days of summer, slowing the pace, is something I hope to be able to make myself do a little more. Take more time to be.