Seasons of Love
“Run me out in the cold rain and snow”
Now that June, July, and August are well behind us, I can finally admit this to all of you. I hate summer. You read that correctly. I literally hate summer. Do you think I’m crazy or do you share this sentiment with me?
I’m not sure when I started to feel this way, but I always felt like I was clearly in the minority. I could never understand why most people were okay with roasting temperatures, insufferable humidity, mosquitos and the list goes on and on. And how about all that sunscreen that needs to be slathered on before you even step out the front door?
In addition to the physical discomforts, I also felt an inordinate amount of pressure to have continuous fun and be happy 24/7, especially when the sun was shining brightly. The FOMO, especially around the summer weekends, was more pervasive than ever. Is everyone but me tossing a volleyball over a net on the beach while drinking an iced cold beer?
It was only when I found the Facebook group entitled: “I (expletive) hate summer” that I knew I had found my people. Reading their posts and stories finally made me feel validated. What I’ve also come to realize is that others like me also suffer from a seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in summer which is more commonly experienced during the winter months. I finally could put a name to the depression I was feeling as soon as Memorial Day weekend began!
But with global warming accelerating, I do realize that moving forward, I need to find a better way to cope with the summer months. Usually, if I’m near or in water, I am metaphorically cooled off. Of course, AC helps. And staying active with family events and friends help to make the days and evenings pass by. Usually by August 1st, I find myself counting down the days till Labor Day weekend to signify the official end of summer when I can (loudly) click my heels.
Moving into the fall and winter months is when I really come alive, especially in winter. There is something so magical about the snow and of course, when I hear about a big blizzard approaching, my heart skips a beat as I dust off my beloved snowshoes. The holidays, the food, the clothing—it’s all so much more appealing to me. You will never hear me growling about the “wind chill factor” either.
So what about you? When do you feel most alive? Winter, spring, summer or fall (all you have to do is call). I couldn’t wait to find out which WSDaH Family members were on the same page as me or if they were hardcore summer peeps. Net ball, re-serve, no point…it was time to find out.
Spring Awakening
“Spring has always been my favorite season. I actually love a New England winter and try to get in as many ski days as I can, but there is something different about those first longer days, the warm sun and watching everything come alive again. For me, that's when the skis get put away and the bikes come back out. Whether it's a road, mountain or gravel ride, I'm outside again, exploring, with a whole season ahead. The first few rides usually remind me pretty quickly that I'm not yet in cycling shape, and these days, as a more seasoned rider, getting there takes a little longer than it used to. But when that first great spring day finally arrives, there's really nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.
What I really love is being outdoors. I've ridden along the ocean on Cape Cod, the Maine coast through Bar Harbor and the West Coast from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon. There's something about experiencing a beautiful place under your own power that changes how you see it. You notice the scenery, the air, the people and things you'd fly right past otherwise. It's also brain food. Time outside gives me space to think, clear my head, work through problems or sometimes just take in what's around me. I come back mentally recharged and ready for whatever is next. Maybe it's the sunshine daydream part of me, but I still love getting out there, wandering around and seeing what's around the next bend.
Somewhere along the way, all of this became about much more than the ride. This year was my 28th Pan-Mass Challenge, which I now ride in honor of my dad, and I've participated in rides and fundraisers around the globe supporting a variety of causes. What has stayed with me isn't the number of miles. It's the teamwork, community, friendships and shared sense of mission. There's something incredibly rewarding about taking something you love and using it to give back. Maybe it's not entirely a coincidence that after spending most of my career in the for-profit world, I now work at The Jackson Laboratory, a nonprofit biomedical research organization. The PMC's fight against cancer and JAX's long history of cancer research have made the connection between fundraising, science and mission even more meaningful to me. In both cases, it's about people coming together and trying just a little bit harder to make a difference.
That's what spring represents to me. Longer days. Being outdoors. Exploring beautiful places. Getting stronger and mentally recharged. Reconnecting with friends and meeting new people. And having another opportunity to turn something I love into something that can help others. Every spring the world seems to come alive again, and in a small way, so do I. The wheel keeps turning, and after all these years, I'm still excited to get back out there and see where it takes me.” Steven Holstein, Senior Vice President, External Affairs, The Jackson Laboratory
Summertime and the livin' is easy
“Ask me what my favorite season is and I don’t have to think about it. Summer. It's always summer.
I’m an endlessly free spirit, and there is no season that feels more like freedom to me. Fall is shedding, winter is hibernation, spring is rebirth. But summer? Summer is the season to be fully alive.
My name, Marissa, means ‘of the sea,’ and I have always been a sea soul—a living mermaid. I am happiest in the water, on the water, or close enough to feel its energy. Put me on a sailboat with the sun on my face, the wind in my hair and water beneath me, and I am home.
Summer brings me as close as possible to the natural world. I want bare feet on the earth, sun on my skin, warm rain falling on me, salt water in my hair. I want as little as possible separating my body from Gaia. I don’t want to observe nature. I want to be part of it.
And then there is the light. Those long summer days that seem to offer more hours simply to be alive. Some of my most sacred moments are watching the sun rise or set from the water, especially while sailing. The sky turns pink, orange, lavender and gold, reflecting across the Chesapeake, and no matter how many times I witness it, it takes my breath away. For me, those moments are daily proof that there is something much larger at work.
But summer isn’t only sacred to me. Summer is play.
Summer is when my eternal child gets to run free. Stay outside. Connect with the energy of the water, the wind, the sun. Chase the sunset. Wear less. Feel more. Turn the music up. Dance barefoot. Remember that ‘time’ is a man-made artificial construct.
And, of course, summer will forever be intertwined with the Grateful Dead for me. Some of my greatest memories live in those warm summer nights—open skies, bare feet, thousands of like-hearted souls experiencing the music, and that extraordinary feeling of being completely free and completely present. I am eternally grateful I was able to experience the magic of the Dead decades ago, at a time in my life when I was fully free of any constraints.
There are pieces of me scattered throughout so many songs... Sugar Magnolia, Scarlet Begonias, Eyes of the World… and summer is the season I feel most connected to the younger version of me that danced for hours during summer shows.
Summer is when I feel most fully, joyfully alive. And isn’t that the only reason we are here? Everything else is noise.”
Sunshine daydream
Walking in the tall trees
Going where the wind goes Blooming like a red rose
Breathing more freely
Light out singing, I’ll walk you in the sunshine
Sunshine daydream.
Try to remember
“When I was younger, I lived for the summers. Breaking from school, warmer days, BEACH days, the 4th, fireworks, BBQs, reuniting with friends, celebrating my birthday. There was no shortage of reasons to look forward to summertime.
I’ve had the opportunity to experience fall in a variety of places across the U.S. Nashville, where the leaves changed at a slower pace until, seemingly on the first day of winter, they had vanished from their branches into wet piles on the streets. The unpredictable climate of Colorado, where I’d drive into the mountains for a taste of home and melt into the diverse and colorful landscape. Chicago, where fall always felt like a flash, gone with the chilly winds that whipped off Lake Michigan. And now, six years in, back in my favorite place to experience all of fall’s splendor: New York City.
I think Tom Hanks said it best in You’ve Got Mail: ‘Don’t you just love New York in the fall?’ There is a magic that reappears as the cooler weather slowly arrives. I admire my charming neighborhood and the way it evolves with the appearance of the season…the changing leaves, crisp air, the return of routines and that subtle feeling that something is beginning again. Maybe that’s why fall makes me come alive now. It feels like a fresh start without the usual pressures of January. It’s a season for taking stock, making a few lists (because, obviously), clearing out what no longer fits, and getting excited about what’s next.
There’s something comforting knowing that change doesn’t always have to be loud or dramatic. For me, it’s the chill in the air, unpacking my favorite sweaters, strolling through a new part of the city and believing that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Summer will always have my heart, but these days I lean more into my crisp days, the opportunity to slow down and embrace a little ‘what’s next?’ energy. That’s my season.”
Bridget Nicholas, Independent Events Operations Consultant
The Sound of Music
“What is your favorite season?” is somewhat like asking what your favorite food is. Lobster? Steak? Grilled cheese? Regardless of what it is, after a month of nothing but that, it becomes less appealing. Contrary to the song, ‘Too much of anything’ is a little too much. The same goes for the seasons as well. Name a season that you weren't ready to have ended at some point. But the other side of that is that with every season's end comes a new beginning! For me, the best season is the one that's just around the corner.
What's your favorite part of a Dead show?
Spring. It's all about hopes and possibilities. The Lot scene, connecting with old friends, the anticipation. The crew climbing up to the lighting rig…the lights dimming…the band walking out and tuning up.
Summer. It's about pure joy. The first note kicks off the first set full of upbeat tunes about cowboys, summer love and generally lighter fare. You're having the time of your life and all your troubles melt away.
Autumn. It's about transformation. The second set begins. Things get serious. Songs vary like fall weather, from fun and less calculated to downright dark and stormy. It's an adventure, and you're on the bus.
Winter. It's about closure. Things wind down, and like the winter holidays, you get sentimental about shows present and past. You know it's getting late, and the show's about to throw you out in the cold, wandering back to wherever you call home that night to get some much-needed rest.
But alas, spring's around the corner, filled with all its possibilities again. The experience would not be the same without all those components. This is what I think the phrase ‘the spice of life’ is all about.
In life, I need that change, the diversity of the seasons that keeps my focus on the future and propels me forward. Every season is a rebirth of sorts that provides a soft reboot to life and it ALWAYS comes just when you need it most. I embrace all of those beginnings.”
“To everything (turn, turn, turn),
there is a season (turn, turn, turn)
and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together”
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