[Seasons: Summer XXVI]
Summer is the season of minimal clothing.
Sandels and flip-flops.
T-shirts and tanktops.
Shorts or swim trunks.
Caps instead of beanies.
In the winter we fear exposure to the weather, so we bundle up. In the summer we fear exposure to the eyes of others. Covering up is impractical, which means for several months our bodies are exposed.
Some seasons in life reveal our unhealthy relationships. Summer shows us that we put an unhealthy emphasis on body image and physical appearance. But body image is not a problem with our body per se as much as it’s an indication of an unhealthy relationship with our physical existence, and our bodies bear the burden.
Do we care so little about our physical health that our bodies are neglected? Physical neglect is often exposed in the summers of life.
Do we care so much about our physical appearance, that we will go to great lengths (and costs) to shape it into the world’s concept of beauty? Summer seasons hold a mirror to our obsessions with approval, status, and attention. In the mirror, looking back at us, are our insecurities, our fears, and our unaddressed wounds.
Summer tells us volumes about our relationships to the world (and to ourself), if we’re willing to listen.
