Sitting on the couch while sipping our cold raspberry mint lemonade, Aaliyah and I were enjoying the fresh summer breeze that swept across NYC. She was reading out poems of Rumi.
The doorbell rang and it was Alan. “Hey, Alan! Come in!” I said. He kept a parcel on the table saying, “Mexican corn salad, green gazpacho and ice cream sandwiches, after a long day’s work I wanted to enjoy with you guys!”
“Let me get the plates and set up a perfect ambiance!” Said, Aaliyah.
Dimmed yellow lights with songs of John Denver playing softly in the background, it was a perfect evening!
“These songs are giving me a ride of nostalgia! Back in school, summers meant nature hikes with friends. I miss doing that now!” Expressed, Alan.
“Oh, even I miss the family visits to water parks and the tan!” Expressed Aaliyah. There was an involuntarily smile on my face.
“What is it, Bob?” Asked Alan.
“I just had flashes of some crazy memories. This one time I had real difficulty dealing with the after-effects of pie-eating competition. Every weekend I took part in one! There is one that remains close to my heart. It was the cycling competition with our dads around the lake. I had to gear up for it and I won! Dad felt proud of me!” I expressed.
“Those days were fun!” Expressed Aaliyah.
“Yes, but they had more to it! In hindsight, I feel all those fun activities imbibed in me a ‘never give up spirit’. I was no more afraid of facing challenges or adventures. I knew I could win if I was consistent with my efforts and I swear by this even now!” I said.
Both of them nodded and smiled. “Now let’s finish the ice cream sandwiches, shall we?” Asked Aaliyah. “Yes!” We both replied and then we carried on with the good food, music, and banter.
“One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.” — Henry David Thoreau. The unique blend of playfulness, enthusiasm, and growth that summer offers, motivates us to move out of our comfort zones and challenge ourselves a little more each day and fused with its zeal and warmth, the journey becomes a lot more fun!
Happy Summers, everyone!
