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“Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Summer is knocking heavy on the doors of my hometown.
It’s here. A period of exposition. Everything is out there: my body, thoughts, ideas, more action, energy, and confidence. It’s a time when I feel more connected and balanced. Anton Chekhov says “People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy.”
My basic trust in life and the journey is not changed whether it’s winter or summer. But I don’t feel the same in January or July.
There are different levels of productivity, power, inner glow, and appearance. I’m more attached to seasons. They shape my behavior. I feel them like I would feel a child beside me.
Everything building up and growing in my mind during the year explodes in summer. It’s hard to keep anything hidden under the table.
This is a reminder to celebrate the light of summer and all the life within. It’s time to get some color. This will be the best summer of my life. Again.
These are my 11 epic symbols of summer
1. Sex
There’s nothing like the feeling of having sex with my lover in a wild cove.
It’s not a piece of cake for me to relax like this. But when I manage to convince my inner productive tyrant to go to sleep, it’s worth it.
Rolling on the sand or even on the small stones. Being naked there. Sun entering every pore of our bodies while the sound of waves and crickets cuddle our brains.
It’s the ultimate piece of music to be a live part of.
2. Ice cream
I don’t care how much processed sugar there is! I can afford that. It makes me feel like a little clumsy child again, enjoying my slice of the pie after playing in the sea for three hours and getting my skin wrinkled.
I don’t eat my ice cream consciously. I’m not aware of every lick and every second of tasting it. I enjoy the ritual like a pig!
3. Diving
The simplest summer exercise for me to face fear is to take a breath and dive into the dark abyss.
It’s freedom: to touch the bottom of the seafloor. To imagine what I would do if a shark comes in front of me. To feel the shark inside of me. Have you ever felt this intensity?
Someone said to me recently, “You’re fine as long as you don’t bleed. He’s seeking for blood.” Maybe it’s true. I’ll be on the lookout anyway.
4. Sea salt & fishermen
I like to lick it from my lovers back. I can afford a day without taking a shower. The salt feels so natural.
I grew up watching fishermen coming back from their journey’s to catch fish. These men were the only hunters I ever saw. Sea, salt, and the smell of fish shape them. Every night they had to bring the fish to be able to support their families.
Back then, I got scared of their loneliness and cruelty. I didn’t like the salted beards they had. Today, I sometimes feel lonely and cruel while providing for my loved ones. At the same time, I love it.
It’s good for men to soil from time to time. I understand fishermen more these days.
5. Summer fashion & medicine
There are no heavy jumpers. A simple shirt and light pants will do. I don’t have to put anything on my feet.
My grandma told me it’s good to walk barefoot on stones. Makes your blood flow, she said. I believed her. Like everything else she said.
This connection with the hot ground fills me up. I feel like a charged battery every time I take a walk. When in pain, the trick is to remind myself it’s a massage to every organ in my body. They say this is a branch of medicine in China. Having a doctor massage your heart while touching your feet.
It’s a usual prescription—for walking—where I come from.
6. Croatian islands
It’s the only intact part of my country. It’s the best part of my country. Everything is wild, smells like real nature, feels like home.
Iž, Vis, and Lastovo are my favorite islands. If any government here had any idea about what they are doing besides ripping people off, they would hire somebody like Gary Vaynerchuk and give him three big islands to manage. The problem is, this would expose them and when everyone finds out what can be done, the politicians would have to work as foot masseurs.
7. Wine
If you’re familiar with the local wine industry you can experience awesome pickings.
I like to combine it with food from the garden or the sea. Taking those 30 minutes after dinner to sit on a veranda and acknowledge the moment. To feel the fruits of wine in my mouth 5 seconds before swallowing the sip.
If you’re visiting, I recommend trying Pošip Stina (white, try with the fish), Medvjedica, Korlat Syrah, or Bibich Bas de Bas (depending on your budget, they can be paired with the light meat).
8. Love
Summer connects me and my lover.
Our skin is speaking to each other. Our scars are talking and getting to know themselves more. Our bodies are in motion together.
My girlfriend and I had our lifestyle and relationship epiphanies during the summer. This is how we started our Love [Making Of] brand. The retreats we’re preparing are our way of sharing this combined experience of love, joy, and nature with the world.
9. Fiestas and long nights
There are days when I don’t have to sleep at all during the summer. The rhythm of life is fueling me with energy. It’s those nights during July and August.
Every little village and town has its own fiesta for 8 weeks. And you know what? Every one is different. They go from trash and obscurity to word class shows and performances.
Here’s a free pitch for all production companies out there. Shoot a documentary series about Croatian coast fiesta’s during summer. It’s like The Game of Thrones meets the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
10. People
It’s the time when the world feels like it’s in the palm of your hand. Wherever I may be during the summer, I meet new people from my country and people from every continent.
It’s the endless possibility—you can bump into anybody. Really anybody—I saw Bill Gates with his guards on Lastovo and John Malkovich with his family on Vis. I have met people from Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Texas, Manchuria, Argentina, and Siberia.
11. Sunset
Everywhere you go on a summer day you can see it. It’s out there for everybody. The magic of a closure. Giving you a dose of colder air to rest from the power of light.
People from my country often say how they can’t wait for the fall so it gets colder and all the tourists go away. I’ll enjoy the fall once again when it arrives.
In the meantime, let me catch every moment I can from summer. It’s my fire that lasts for the whole year.
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This post was originally published on medium.com, and is republished here with the author’s permission.
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Photo credit: Getty Images