Creating Calm

Balmy summer afternoons seem made for these quieter pursuits, a twist on the traditional siesta of the Latin world. I have strong memories of sharing the front porch with my grandmother on summer days, each of us with a glass of iced tea and a book, magazine, or crossword puzzle. I remember the feel of the condensation cooling my hand when I gripped my glass, and I remember the soft background noises that were ever present: cicadas, lawn sprinklers, small children playing, the occasional barking dog.

But I also remember that, as she got older, my grandmother grew to dread those long summer afternoons – especially Sunday afternoons. Part of this was just the life of an empty nester. Without young children in her home, she and my grandfather were disconnected from the daily events so often tied to the school year, and no longer lived by its rhythm.