Heat and Sun

I’ve always been a sun lover. When people complain about the heat, I try to commiserate.

But then I add, “Heat doesn’t really bother me. Not like bitter cold. I figure if it’s going to be that cold, it ought to be snowing. Otherwise, what’s the point?”

Granted, I’ve been punished over the years for my relationship with sun, having had numerous skin cancers. Thankfully, none of them have been melanomas so far.

My husband and both kids lack my appreciation. If we’re at a pool or beach, they look for an umbrella or shade tree. Avoiding sun for them has less to do with skin cancer concerns, I’ve learned, than with a straightforward distaste for the sensation.

My daughter prefers to delay her beach time until after 5 or 6 pm. I, on the other hand, love the beach any time of day. So long as I have access to a lake, ocean, or pool, I can jump in to cool off. By the time I get out, I’m ready for the sun again.

Today, for a brief moment, I felt the heat as I imagine they do. At the lake, I climb a lot of steps to get from the boat dock to the cabin. Near the top, I reward myself by jumping into a hammock to relax.

Typically, the hammock is shaded, and I love to sway in the breeze. Today, however, it was just after noon, approaching 1 pm, and I stared straight up at the sun. Why doesn’t this feel right, I wondered.

My next thought was to instruct myself to relish the sun as I always do. When this failed to yield immediate enjoyment, my third thought provided the revelation. This must be the way heat feels to some people all the time. Ouch!


I’ll be more empathetic the next time someone complains about the heat. 

On the day I typed this, we were recovering from a situation where both my parents' air conditioner and ours had quit working. This was at a time when the heat index was well over 100 degrees F. Thankfully, they are back now. I remember a time when we had no air conditioners. But, wow, how easy it is to get spoiled to having one.