Wouldn’t you agree that summer feels like a friend we haven’t seen in a long time? A friend who returns once a year, bringing a sense of fun, freedom, and possibility. We welcome it so warmly because something about summer brings us back to life a little more fully. We stay outside longer, connect more easily, and start looking for small ways to really enjoy life while the season is here.
“Summertime, and the living is easy.” – composer George Gershwin
And maybe that’s why there really is an art to enjoying summer well. In my view, it’s not about trying to pack every moment with activity or pressure or expensive plans, but by becoming more intentional about how we experience our days.
The truth is that a beautiful summer day doesn’t have to look the same for everyone and that’s part of its magic.
Some people wait all year to get their hands in garden soil. Others love long bike rides, early morning golf games, fishing trips, patio lunches, farmers’ markets, easy walks, or evenings around a fire with family and friends. Some people simply love sitting outside with a cool drink, listening to the birds and feeling the warmth on their skin.
All of it is meaningful: this is life, this is joy; this is what we remember. Perhaps the real art of a beautiful summer day is allowing yourself to enjoy it in your own way instead of comparing it to someone else’s version of summer. It’s your design, your creation; it’s your rhythm. That’s what makes being a human being so enjoyable.
“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – novelist Henry James
There’s also something wonderful about bringing a little creativity and playfulness into our lives, no matter what our age is. Remember summer evenings at the drive-in? What if you recreated a little bit of that feeling by setting up an outdoor movie night with blankets and popcorn? What if you packed a picnic lunch and surprised a friend with it? What if you explored a small town nearby just because you’ve never taken the time to stop there before?
What if you left one day unscheduled on purpose? What if you watched the sunset instead of another evening of television? What if you bought fancy strawberries? What if this became the summer you allowed yourself to enjoy your life a little more fully by saying yes more often?
Not everyone has summer travel plans. Vacations can be expensive, and life looks different for everyone. But maybe part of the opportunity in this stage of life is realizing that we don’t always have to leave our lives to enjoy them. Why not bring a little more of that vacation feeling into our everyday lives? Instead of boarding a plane for a faraway destination, watch videos of your favourite holiday spots or plan a meal featuring dishes from that country.
“Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.”
–Author Jenny Han
What if we focus on appreciating what’s already in our lives, who is already in our lives and create some fun around that? It doesn’t have to be fancy. Maybe it’s inviting someone over for a porch visit, maybe it’s donating so a child can enjoy summer camp for the first time. Maybe it’s noticing the birds, the sunset or taking in your favourite walking path.
Summer is like that friend who reminds us that life isn’t only about responsibilities and routines. It’s also about delight, curiosity, connection, and creating memories with the people we care about. It’s about appreciating the beauty that’s already around us and allowing ourselves to enjoy it more fully.
However you choose to experience this season, let it be yours. Let it be something you look forward to, appreciate, and savour long after the autumn leaves begin to fall. Because the art of a beautiful summer day isn’t about doing summer perfectly, it’s about being present enough to truly enjoy it while it’s here.