Dreaming of Summer

at Iwahig Penal Colony, Palawan

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit."

Is summer officially here? We still get drizzles and cool breezes in the evenings, but the afternoons have become sultry. I’m off to Negros in two weeks and really looking forward to the trip.

Ah, summer---a season for adventure! I love lazy summer afternoons, having siesta in a hammock under the shade of my grandfather’s old mango tree. The leaves filtering the warm sunshine, creating a dreamy and magical light. The soft breeze cools the sweat on my forehead as I sip iced tea, snack on boiled saba dipped in bagoong, and marvel at the landscape of my childhood.

At night, under the full moon, I would lie on the grass; listen to the murmur of the wind, the rustle of the leaves, the songs of cicada. The stars seem so near as I watch one or two fall from the heavens. The distant strum of guitar serenades the enchanting night as frogs frolic in the nearby pond, night birds croon at their nest.

Summer mornings would find me by the beach, picking up shells and pebbles; chasing hermit crabs back to their burrows, gaze at the ocean's expanding blue horizon and dance with the waves. I would wait for the fisherman's fresh catch, wave at them as the small boat approaches the shore. I miss the unhurried mornings, and the simple joy of being at the water’s edge, feel the warmth of oncoming tide against my feet.

I don't know what it is about summer...but everything looks vivid at this time of the year, everything in full color. When summer comes, I'm in love with life "as an ant on a summer blade of grass".