The other day I sat outside by myself on my dad’s porch at his house in Detroit. It was warm and balmy.
It was the first time I got to do a little reflecting. The sites, sounds, and smells are different here than in LA.
This is a very quiet, somewhat older neighborhood. Less people and vehicle traffic than where I live. The birds sing their last of the day’s songs before they go to bed and the crickets take over, sending me into instant relaxation mode.
The air is thick, and smells like a mixture of fresh cut grass, a far away deceased skunk, and…I can’t make out that last smell, although it’s somewhat sweet.
As the evening grows darker, I see the lightning bugs doing a dance, and in the distance I hear the sounds of trains blowing their horns, a familiar sound around these parts, as living along the Detroit River means a lot of railroad tracks.
Somewhere in the neighborhood I hear someone lighting firecrackers. It makes me laugh, as there was always that “one dad” we knew as kids who bought fireworks and entertained the neighborhood for hours blowing stuff up.
Even though the air is heavy and warm, I get chills as it brings back fond memories of growing up around here.
I often tease Detroit for being…well Detroit, but a lot of memories were created here…good memories.
We didn’t need a lot to make us happy did we? As kids we drew chalk on the sidewalk, and that could entertain us for hours. We would lay on the grass and stare up into the clouds and find animals in the sky. We made up stories about the creepy guy living down the street, and at least someone always knew some kid who went to that house and never came out alive. 
We rode bikes, not because we needed to get our “daily exercise,” but because it was fun…and let’s face it, our only mode of transportation. The same went for swimming, or playing team sports…we did it because it was fun. Really, wasn’t that our motivation for just about everything?
I sit on the porch for what seems like hours…maybe it was. Not once did thoughts of my job, finances, car issues, etc. come up. Just sweet memories of simple summer times.
And so what I take away from my reflection…and what I share with you now, is to take time to make those memories this summer.
Let go of your adult responsibilities from time to time and play! Play with your kids, your pets, your friends, and your family. The best things in life are free…and those memories don’t have to include spending a lot of money.
When your kid wants to throw the ball around with you, but you need to do the dishes RIGHT NOW, just stop doing the dishes and go throw the ball. Those are the kinds of things you (and your kid) will look back on fondly. And those moments slip by fast.
Hoping you have the happiest of summer memories…
What simple things do you enjoy about summer?
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