The Summer I Miss!

July 20, 2021

Tuesday

Who doesn't gets excited when we hear the word summer? Even Olaf of Disney's Frozen loves to experience summer too!

Hot warm daylight, birds singing sitting by the branches of the trees, clouds floating on a clear blue sky, perfect with winds blowing at a beach or by the seaside.

After the long months of being busy at school whenever vacation came, my feelings were bursting with happiness and excitement!

Summer is one of my favorite seasons of the year, when I was a kid I always love to hear our summer plans. Summer getaway and summer bonding with the family. And whenever I heard of it, the first thing that comes up in my mind is the beach!

I am privileged to experience it all when I was little. Whenever summer arrives, my aunts and uncles always do the planning of where to spend the holiday. And mostly we spent our summer vacations on the beach.

We live far from the bodies of water, there is no perfect place for summer occasions in the hometown so to enjoy the waves, we need to travel riding our tricycles. My father and my two uncles have a tricycle each, and it can accommodate the whole family.

Before the main event of going to the coast, the adults will cook foods for us to enjoy in the beach cottage. And we, the kids enjoyed the beach and the waves all day. And those foods were neglected at times because we can stay all today under the heat of the sun jumping and diving into the surges and tides.

We always went to Banate, Iloilo. It's the nearest and has the cheapest beach resort accommodation. And I remember how we ran towards the water the moment we step out of the tricycle. We enjoyed building sea castles, picking up seashells, crustaceans, or even jellyfish without knowing it's dangerous! Kids will always be kids, so curiosity pushes us to do it. 😅

That's how my summers were fulfilled before, almost every year, we can't skip going to the beach whenever summer comes. But everything changes when we all aged.

Summer vacations were not that exciting, summers became a boring season, at home all day without enjoyment and happenings unlike before.

But last 2019, my aunt who works as a nurse in Saudi went home for a vacation and she treats us to a family outing. But it was different, we didn't spend our summer at the beach but in an inland farm resort near our town.

The place is indeed perfect for family bonding.

I even made an article about it here several months ago. See this link to see the experience we had.

Ps: Photos are mine!

Those times were one of my happiest moments, far from problems and other issues in life. One day is indeed enough to ease all of the burdens being kept. Yet I never imagined and never seen it coming, that it was our last summer outing.

Ever since Covid-19 came, everything was changed, we're not free to do the common things we did before. We can't go to places anytime we want. And we can't enjoy summer just like the old times.

Sure, some will say Covid doesn't exist, that we are just threatened and playing on the government’s palm, but there's no assurance. Existing or not, it's very risky nowadays, so even how much we'd love to enjoy the summer vibes again, we can't.

Some protocols prohibit or hinder us to do what we wanted to do. Those protocols are needed to be obeyed as a sign of respect to being a citizen of the country.

Now, my aunt retires being a nurse this year and she came home safe here in the Philippines last month, is planning to have another summer bonding with the whole family. She's currently staying in their home in Manila with her husband and will come back home here in her hometown next month.

I heard they planned to go to the beach again, but then it's just another plan I guess. Currently, we're under Enhanced Community Quarantine due to rising cases of the virus until the end of July. Means special or simple gatherings even at home aren't allowed.

Summer is about to end, a season I used to admire the most. A time where I spent the whole month with excitement and non-stop travels.

But as the pandemic rises, summer was spent at the home but still with the best people, my family. It's not so thrilling but then, family time is always the best they say.

Those beaches, shores and the sand, the cool breeze, and the fresh sensation coming from the waves are just momentary. They're always there, waiting to be felt and be appreciated again, not now but sooner when things get better.

Written by: @eommaZel