Summer Nights

I am very much partial to cooler weather. I would much rather have a foggy summer than a scorching hot one and I would much rather be bundled up tight in a jacket and scarf than scantily clad and free as a bird! So coming to Utah for the tail end of the warm summertime was not something I was looking forward to. The first couple weeks were hard for me and I barely ventured outside the apartment. I’m a homebody anyway so it suited me to stay in and pretend it was snowing outside. Because that’s the other thing I dislike about hot weather -that it makes me feel guilty about staying inside and not taking advantage of a nice day. It makes homework a lot harder to do as well. So I just pretend the sun's not there. I bet statistically students are a lot more focused during winter semesters than any others. This past month we’ve been here I just haven’t seen sunshine as much of a friend.


BUT. I may be changing my mind.

Oh don’t get me wrong, I would still RATHER wrap up in a blanket with hot chocolate and a movie than go running through the sprinklers getting sunburned. But I guess what I’m saying is that my hostility towards the sun is decreasing. Especially when Andrew and I spread out a big yellow blanket on the grass outside our door at 4 or 5 in the afternoon and play Monopoly Deal until the sun goes down. All without jackets, or socks, or shoes, or scarves. I can’t deny that I love the stillness of summer air at that time of day. That’s when I look at the sun and say, “Okay. Maybe we’ve been misunderstanding each other.” I’m realizing how much I love being able to go for a walk without getting all kinds of gear on. I’m realizing how much more amazing a bowl of fresh fruit or an ice cream cone tastes in warm weather. And I’m realizing that flowers are at their prettiest when the sun shines on them.

I got to thinking about all this because of an event that happened here last night. Our apartment complex set up a movie theater size projector screen on the lawn and served popcorn and pink lemonade while a movie played and the sun set in the background. It was like a drive-in movie right outside our front door. THAT is what sold me on summer. Cause you can’t do that as well any other time of the year. Hundreds of college kids came and set up their blankets and lawn chairs. Boys sat next to the girls they had crushes on, newlywed couples sat close under blankets, and friends sat in big groups playing games, getting to know each other, and being shushed by everyone else. I think it was the kind of summer night that Sandy sings about in Grease (Sandy’s part, mind you, not Danny’s!). If that’s not a perfect summer night, what is? It was so cool.
I still prefer winter clothes by far. But I have now decided that the fun of summer romance + summer nights are both amazing enough to let summer come around every year.