Today it is 103 degrees wrapped in a horsehair blanket of humidity. “The hellscape of the damned,” as my colleague’s husband calls the Mid-Atlantic summer. Accurate.
As a Northeasterner, I crave cold water in the heat. I was plunging into frigid seas long before it became a wellness trend. From May through early fall, my ritual was, when possible, sunrise or sunset swims—legs stinging red, mind refreshed.
When I moved to Arlington, one of my first questions was: Where is the nearest swimmable beach?
George and I drove six hours to Assateague—gorgeous sugar-white sand, wild horses—and a surf too rough to swim. After all that, no plunge. What now?
Life often calls for creative solutions to stay well.
For me, in the face of summer heat and no ocean nearby, I joined the Long Bridge Aquatics Center. It’s not Montauk, Lambert’s Cove, or Long Island Sound, but it’s where I backstroke and freestyle laps and connect with others: the place seems like heaven on days like today.
Suggestion: Take stock. Whether it’s summer, or a tough season in your life, what could lift your spirit? Maybe a gym. A new language (or a trip to a country that has this for a first language). A book club, yoga class, card game, or walking buddy. What would soothe your version of “summer heat”?
I’ll be away starting July 10 for three weeks—so now is the perfect time to book an acupuncture session tailored to help you glide into summer feeling balanced and well. Let’s get you grounded before the season sweeps you away.
