One of the best parts of summer is the long weekend — an extra day of fun in the sun, of sand and surf, of hammocks and shade trees, of croquet mallets and golf clubs. The long weekend gives us a little more time to see the people we love and do the things we choose.
And this weekend, in our corner of the word we are celebrating the Civic Holiday. On Monday offices will be locked, stores will be dark, factories quiet while families and friends will be kicking back and enjoying time spent in leisurely pursuits.
For my guy and I it promises to be a crazy busy long weekend. With family visiting from the other side of this vast country there are more occasions and events than is typical, including a fundraising tournament. From music to games to the beach the three days and nights will be a dizzying whirl of activity. Entertaining for sure, but a little outside my comfort zone.
An introvert, my happy place is found in quiet hours on the deck, or enjoying a tête à tête with a close friend. Listening to music in a crowd, I am the one who is happy to be lost within the sound, thriving in the driving guitars and pulsing drums played so loudly that conversation is difficult. I am the one who seeks entertainment between the pages of a book, who upon entering a busy room moves quickly to a familiar face in a secluded corner. I am energized by calm and quiet, depleted by noise and confusion.
And I’m married to an extrovert who thrives on the company of many and finds a lazy Sunday afternoon pointless and boring. Over decades of marriage, however, we
have learned to understand these differences and work with them. When we must be around a large crowd, he stays with me until I’m settled. When we have a rare few hours alone, I respect that he will look for ways to be less still after a time.
So our approaches to, and anticipation of, this upcoming long weekend will be quite different. Where he will zealously seek out as much interaction with those surrounding us as possible, I will probably steal moments of alone time. Of course, there will be shared activities too — those little conversations and private jokes typical of long-married couples, our enjoyment of a concert, and our pleasure at being able to spend the majority of the weekend in cottage country.
When I think about it, time at our summer place seems to blur lines between extrovert and introvert. The former soaks up the vibe and can sit and be cool, the latter is comfortable in the relaxed atmosphere and spreads her social wings.
The beach is peace and calm. It’s a place to recharge your batteries. You can be as alone as you want or as busy as you desire. Sand underfoot and sun overhead quiet heart and mind. The sounds of rushing waves lapping at the edge of the shore is nature’s best song.
As we head towards a lovely summer long weekend my daydreams stray to the beach and the wonderful images that fill my mind when I look ahead. Here’s a sample of those from iCLIPART.com and Clipart.com
