prendre un bain de soleil

the most beautiful day in weeks. this afternoon was spent reading, but more importantly sunbathing. not tanning, my friends, this was true sunbathing.

the breeze was just enough that the sun felt perfectly comfortable; almost enough so to fall asleep in. this afternoon's sky was clear and blue, and yet in all its emptiness and clarity, there was enough going on to keep me content just lying on my back for hours: birds soaring to dizzying heights under the wispy clouds continually forming in white and dissolving again to blue, the baby dragonflies that have been growing larger by the day playing a never-ending game of drop-rise-drop-rise-drop, always staying clear of the tiny white fluffs and parachute seeds that float along on the air, looking as lazy and effortless as i felt in the grass.

only a few summers ago i hadn't much appreciation for such tranquility. perhaps, building on the words that mill wrote so long ago, it's an overdue balance to the overdrive way of life that we're told we have to live here.

as with most other things, i'll go with the europeans on this one. an afternoon in the park is often all you really need in life.


here's to you and a park afternoon,
jh..