Season for Morning Swims

As I found myself grumbling about the lingering chill in the mountains and the perpetual haze veiling the city, I couldn’t shake the longing for the warmth of summer. But then, with the arrival of Memorial Day weekend, it’s as if a switch flipped, and suddenly, summer was upon us, filling the air with anticipation and a sense of renewal.

The opening of our community swimming pool became a symbol of this shift. What was once a quiet, still space blossomed into a hub of activity, as families and friends gathered to relish the simple pleasures of sunshine and water. And I, too, partook during the lap swim hours and swam a mile! My first swim of the season.

Perhaps it’s because I entered this world in the midst of summer that I hold such a deep affection for this season. There’s a certain warmth and familiarity to it that speaks to my soul, especially after four decades of calling Southern California my home. Unlike the sticky, oppressive summers of humid climates like Japan, the summer here feels like a gentle caress, inviting me to surrender to its tranquility.

But even as I lose myself in the delights of summer, I can’t help but be mindful of its fleeting nature. The sun’s gentle embrace, the laughter that fills the air, the sheer joy of swimming a mile — they’re all fleeting moments, here one instant and gone the next. And yet, it’s precisely this impermanence that lends them their magic, reminding me to cherish each experience fully and embrace the transient beauty of life with gratitude and grace.