Here comes the roaring summer season with a myriad pleasures, through its longest days and sparkling lights.
Despite its generous offers, nothing is as unique as the soft, silky spot of a blissful beach, be it a humble hut or a luxurious mansion.
School is over, vacations planned, everyone is heading for their piece of paradise. Each one has a different purpose to be there, yet all share in that sense of liberation and recreation as they gaze at the many coloured shades of the deep blue sea.
Our affinity for water is even reflected in the near universal attraction for the colour blue. We are drawn naturally to aquatic hues, mirrored by the sea and sky, and associate them with freshness, openness, calmness, depth, and wisdom.
Recent research has learned that our brains are hardwired to react positively to water “and that it can calm and connect us, increase innovation and insight and even heal what’s broken.”
We have a blue mind and it’s perfectly tailored to make us happy in all sorts of ways that “go beyond relaxing in the surf, listening to the murmur of a stream or gently floating in a pool”. Being around water gives our brains and our senses a rest from overstimulation.
Why do we gaze at the sea? Unconsciously, water induces a mildly sedative state of relaxation, inducing lower stress levels and relief from anxiety, pain, and depression.
Again and again we return to relive old memories and create new happy moments by the sea.
The beach in the summer is buzzing with life; it is your choice to share with others or with your innermost thoughts.
How totally isolated you can be as you look out towards the sea, notwithstanding the buzz of crowds around. Busy life and daily concerns are a million miles away as you soak in the calm stillness of the fleeting moment. You soon hear the sound of children’s laughter and participate in the joys of footballing or volley balling as the waves watch in mirth.
There is always music at the beach, be it a soft melody or a rocking beat, but the rhythmic song of the dazzling waves outrival 100 symphonies.
Such is the allure of the beach, that powerful force of human nature that penetrates your very soul with infinite comfort and calm.
Why else do we pursue the ageless sounds of sea and waves? Just staying in the water can easily be the most leisurely time for body and soul.
There is no end of games to play between sand and sea. Active, invigorating exercises like swimming, sailing, surfing, while others simply build castles on the sand, delighting children of all ages.
Never underestimate the constant warnings of excessive direct sunlight. Avoid the blazing midday hours; wear hats and sunscreen lotions even at sundown.
In the cool of the evening, a whole enchanted world awaits you. The ocean assumes a different tempo, as the waves seem at peace, in the still of the night. Even its lilting song is mellow and melodious.
Likewise the crowds walk slowly, leisurely, a welcome respite from the hurried pace and the burning sun. They are less tense, more creative, more contemplating, inclined to gaze at the heavens and the twinkling stars.
Is that the reason why summer is considered the most romantic of the four seasons? They say that summer is the greatest matchmaker. The heat is on our side it seems, when it comes to falling in love. You let your guard down and in turn letting romance take centre stage. The clear skies, the fresh summer breeze, the lazy afternoons flavour the season with ecstasy and desire.
Time to experience passion and heartbreak in the summertime.
Summer romances are notorious for being brief. That is exactly why it is so temporary, so ephemeral. Steaming romances flourish in tropical places, casting a mysterious spell. The lovers are destined to part, returning to their distant homes and inevitable loss.
King of the summer romances is dreary and sad, but impossibly romantic. Seldom does it extend to a “forever after”, but the bittersweet interlude is satisfying and fulfilling.
If you cannot be on a beach by the seaside, any other water body will do — a lake, a river, a stream, a pond or the nearest poolside. If not, the second best thing is to send a few hours watching a romantic summer movie, right in your living room. You can travel to glamorous spots, gaze at the same sands and seas, visit the Cote d’Azur in France, the Amalfi Coast in Italy, or better still the incredible North Coast of Egypt. Your tour can take you to Marbella in Spain or one of the Greek Islands, or further still to the Caribbean.
Films such as Mamma Mia or Grease are classics that lift your spirit, tap to the music and sing out the songs.
One timeless romance is Summertime, starring the inimitable Katherine Hepburn and the eminent director David Lean. It can still fall under your spell today as it was half a century ago. A lonely spinster falls in love with a dashing Italian and for a brief spell, have an idyllic passionate affair, surrounded by the majesty of Venice. It is timeless and well worth your time. “It’s a smile, it’s a walk, it’s a kiss — it’s summertime.”
Seize the moment. “A life without love is like a year without summer.”
“Summer night — even the stars are whispering to each other.”
Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828)
* A version of this article appears in print in the 25 July, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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