Tune Out

words and photography by Heather Land

Like rookies, we call tend to go into summer with full force. We let out a sigh of relief, pack up the kids, the car, head to our vacation spot, footloose and fancy free – spend a week either completely letting it all go or pack in every second figuring out we can sleep when we are dead – coming home like we need a vacation from our vacation; but every day life has waited patiently for our safe arrival home and is waiting for us to make dinner. 

You have three more months of days to go and the only consistency is the rise in the heat index …oh, and the gas prices. 

Do you read me? 

Day camps, away camps, all the camps are swell. Sign’ em up if you will.

But also, perhaps, redefine what summer has become – just another busy season. 

What if Summer looked like later nights – watching the stars come out after the sunset and listening to the night come alive in Lou’siana …followed by snoozy mornings snugged up in pjs for an extra hour reading a book together over coffee? 

What if summer made you feel like a kid again and you sat around learning how to braid hair or braid bracelets and share mindless chatter about all things life, or wrote a letter to someone with pen and ink? 

What if summer really did look like swimsuits and barefeet – and the sound of the sprinkler beckoned? 

What if summer meant grilled bites and cold watermelon around the patio table and the stove was left to slumber? 

What if you TUNED OUT the world and TUNED IN to summer and your people on a new channel? 

You just might like it.