Where the *$%^ is the warmth of the sun?

HERE COMES THE SUN

Many people ask me during the summer months, which seems way behind us or to far in front of us, how my complexion seems to go from winter pale to a brown almost overnight. I will start by saying that I just woke up this way, or on my way to work I got caught in a sprinkler that sprayed caramel everywhere, or if I am feeling precocious I will tell them that went to a gala at the Hawaiian Tropic factory and after too much Grey Goose, I awoke with a headache and a killer tan. All kidding aside, I think a combination of being Italian and Native American and other balancing heritages, has given me an exponential advantage to the rest of the sun-worshipping world. Summertime has always been my favorite of the seasons as I spent the majority of my adolescent summers either down the shore visiting my mother’s side of the family or in the Poconos on the lake practicing my jump shot (not in the lake, that would just be ridiclous) and learning how to fish from my father and grandfather. Day 1: a little pink, Day 2: a little burnt, Day 3: I am George Hamilton’s long lost son. Aside from the memories of days gone by, I always felt that a tan made you feel healthier and alive. Regardless of your height, weight, age or physical attributes, everyone looks better and healthier with a tan. Whether you prefer the natural sunlight, the inside of a tanning bed or spray tan, or opt for SPF 800, I have always associated the olive ewe that comes from moderate sun exposure as an indicator that the individual wearing that tan prefers the sunlight to the shade, the outdoors to the indoors. Even beyond that, when I was younger, whenever I saw a man or a woman with a tan, say, in the middle of January in Pennsylvania where I was raised, that they were wealthy or not from the area. Why you ask regarding the first assumption? Because coming from middle class means, I did not travel much to a tropical destination if a snow shovel or rock salt had been purchased within the last (3)-(6) months. Ahh, the workings of the mind of a teenager.

Now as time progressed there has been a significant concern with the potential damages of overexposure to the sun. I completely agree, understand and heed the word of the importance of preparation as well as moderation. I do remember the summer when I was 21 or 22, and being offered my first job as a manual laborer. How bad could it be? I was athletic growing up, and being that I was extremely skinny at the time, I had seen the inside of a weight room during my freshman year of college. Now here’s the kicker; I would be employed by a local contractor who’s specialty was, you may or may not have guessed it, roofing. Yep, roofing, starting at the end of May and finishing at the end of September. I actually met the guy in a local gym and after becoming friendly with him mentioned I was looking for work for the summer. He explained that he had a small roofing outfit (business not Levis overalls and work boots) and had landed consistent jobs during the upcoming summer months. He will remain nameless though he had finished undergrad and was preparing financially for medical school; to be a neurosurgeon. Yes, a neurosurgeon. Nail gun above ground level to scrubs in the operating room? I do not think I have ever met a person that pulled that transition off. (to his credit he did complete medical school and is currently exactly where he said he would be.) I remember clearly the first day work. On the Main Line in PA we needed to tear off the existing shingle, remove all tar paper and nails and if we had time begin to lay the waterproofing material. The day started around 6:30 am with coffee and an overview of the day. We arrive at the job and then given the instruction on where to start; take the current roof off and through in the dumpster. It was like Christmas morning with the unadulterated passion of unwrapping a wrapped present that you think you know the contents of as a child. Then it happened. The sun came out strong. Now at the time I consciously or as an infant, had been present for 7,560 sunrises (just an estimate folks). Now this particular one was different as now I am three stories closer to it and within (2) hours is now my bully on the schoolyard. “Keeping working I say. The pay is good, the tan will give me the beach advantage, I am keeping in shape…..And if I quit I will NEVER hear the end of it within the confines of my local gym.” Lunch comes and goes. I have lost three lbs of water weight, my hands are cut up, and mentally I am worn, though quitting time should be by four. Then the weather report says that precipitation may cause rain tomorrow. A large tarp needs to be spread over the roof, and to save us the time if we lose a day tomorrow, we will be carrying (80) lb bags of shingles up to the lower portion of the roof’s surface. Being a statuesque 158 lbs this is just over 50% of my body weight. Thirty-eight of them. Up the ladder and returning to the ground for more. We work until 7:40 pm then go the local Wawa for a sandwich. Fast forward to getting home: After I remove my work gear, I fall asleep, sitting up in my parent’s TV room, with the aforementioned lunch meat delicacy dangling from my right hand. Years later we got together at my house and laughed about that summer. My employer admitted that the (14) hour day was a test to see if I would crack from fatigue. That day almost got the best of me but paved the road for endurance in the future. Bottom line: Sun 1 Me 0. From that day forward I had a new respect for the sun. Now having opened up to you regarding my days of laboring, the parallel of me and the sun goes much deeper.

Thought the narrative above describes the physical affects of the great ball of fire in the sky, my connection is different. From the days at my grandfather’s river-side home, to the rooftops of PA, up until this day it is not the exposure that sets my mental tone for my view of sunlight. It is knowledge that the summer months will soon be upon us. The outdoors now, at least temporarily, will be the backdrop for your weekly schedule. It is daylight for less time right now which means when the work day is over, your day feels like it is over. Whether it’s daylight playtime with your children, your co-ed softball league where you will get to see what’s her name from your office, or just feeling like with the list of (15) tasks that you need to accomplish before the day is done, the sun, during that season, allows all of these simple pleasures. Now, there is the “post-shower shiver” dance as I like to call it. You are getting ready for work, for some of us the sun may not be up at the time, and stepping from the bathroom to the chilly outside of that room, and you are telling yourself “Tonight is the night I tell my husband we are moving to Florida.” For the men in the audience, myself included, the comparable shiver is when we have just shaven our face, and before we get dressed we step out to clear off the car of the winter mess, the wind hits us like Oscar De La Hoya’s left jab. Ouch, amongst other responses. Only 172 more days of this until the summer months are upon us.

Now this is not to say there are not drawbacks to the much anticipated warmer months. Though I no longer wear a suit to work everyday, there was a time when I did. When I used to get into the car at lunch if I need to leave my office for any reason, before the AC has it’s chance to do it’s job, that one bead of sweat that hits the starch of your collar reminds me to respect the sun. Now ladies I did not say that you have it easy during these glorious months, regardless of the attire you wear to work. “You don’t understand Joe, the humidity has turned my hair into the static electricity exhibit at Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum.” I have (2) sisters, a mother, and female friends that have explained the affects on humidity on turning a Hair-Do into the dreaded Hair-Don’t. And that’s all I have to say about that……………………………….

As we head into the next few months, though the above story traveled through memories as well as associations of this time of year, one thing remains clear. Regardless of the pros as well as cons of the summer months, the local or the shore traffic that seems unbearable, waiting for the warmer weather of summer in (6) months, there is no other season that makes me feel more alive. It could be the warmer temperature, or it could be the planned vacation or the weekend getaway with your significant other as well as your family that makes you yearn for the summer. It could also be just activities that you do during this time. A barbeque with your neighbors, your son or daughters athletics, beach, mountains or your own backyard, either way the heat from above provides the hours of the day that allows all of us the almost 30 hour day that we all wish so our respective to-do lists are actually mastered. Right now it seems like that sunlight is around us for (90) minutes, the remainder is wind-chill, frost, and being sleepy due to fall depression.

From this day forward let us all remember that regardless of the temperature on our internal thermostats, or whether it is now in December or the longest week of daylight come summertime, (hot or cold) or on the dashboard in front of us, the hours of daylight should never dictate what we make time for. Hug your children harder, wave at your neighbor longer, or love someone or something more deliberately, but most importantly make the most of every second you have, regardless of the environment around you.

Just do it.........