I believe in Sunlight

I believe in Sunlight… I’m not sure if it’s the warmth on my skin or the brightness in the sky, but beautiful sunny days give me strength, motivation and energy to complete my work and rejuvenate my soul.  The effects of sunlight exposure are scientific as well as psychological, so I know it’s not just me.  However, the joyous memories that sun and summer time evoke are the things I’ll share with you.

Growing up in the Central Valley of California, sunlight was always synonymous with summer time , sports  and family fun.   The summers in the central valley can get scorching, reaching well over 100 degrees on a daily basis.  While many people think that this is uncomfortable, I relish the heat and even miss it now that I live in the Bay Area.  During those days of summer when the sun was scorching and you could fry an egg on the sidewalk, I could usually be found by a swimming pool or on the ball field, after I left my air conditioned job.  Finding a day job with air conditioning was key to survival as well as proper hydration and activities that distracted us from the heat.

I consider a perfect summer day to be one where I could sleep in, wake up just as the day was heating up and leave to earn some money at that air conditioned job.  The shift might end just as the hottest part of the day was starting, but that is a perfect time to jump into the pool for a nice long swim.  At times you don’t even need to bring a towel because the sun will evaporate the water right off you within minutes.  After warming up while listening to the Giants game on the radio, it would probably be time for my softball practice as the evening began to cool off.  Sometimes our practices would have to be cut short because the heat was too unhealthy, but mostly it was a time to hang out, drink a lot of water and sweat it out together as a team.

These memories of long summer days full of life, love, laughter and teamwork are what I feel when I step outside, take a deep breath, close my eyes and let the sun shine down on me.  The energy that I feel is more than just the Vitamin D that I know sunlight provides, it’s the memories that sustain me, the activities that I still enjoy and the thought that I am extremely lucky to live the life that I have.  So, for all these reasons and I’m sure many more: I believe in Sunlight.