Beauty Buzz/Blog Biz | Smell The Sea & Feel The Sky
“Smell the sea, and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly.”
~Van Morrison
Summer is here! It is hot and humid out there, but isn’t it glorious.
Do you remember how much you used to look forward to summer break as a kid? We anticipated it. We planned all of the things we would do. It was an escape for most of us from school and all that meant for each of us. For me, it was a time to not have to pretend I could see more than I could, to not have to worry about being bullied by peers, to spend time outdoors, and to just be. That feeling of letting my soul fly.
I love the summer. Admittedly I live in Florida, so it never gets too cold, but it does get cold enough in the winter to keep me indoors. Summer is a chance to smell the wonderful aromas of fresh mowed grass, flowers blooming, and rain. It’s a time to hear bees buzzing, birds chirping, and the sound of ocean waves.
It’s a time to walk barefoot through grass and on a sandy beach. And, if you can see, even just a little, you can sit out and see the colorful flowers in bloom and look up at the clouds. Yes, the humidity can feel like it envelops you, but maybe it is just summer giving you a big hug. Summer is truly a sensory delight.
Experiencing The World Differently
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
~John Steinbeck
Most people get the majority of the information from the world around them through seeing it. There is a misconception that when you experience vision loss you magically develop heightened senses. The reality, unfortunately, is this is a myth. We don’t hear better or even develop that magical sixth sense. It would be amazing if that happened… I’d be all for it.
What happens is we learn to maximize our senses to gather information from the world and to experience it in a new way. This only happens though if we work on it, if we are open to listening more, to experiencing the world through our other senses. Yes, those of us who are blind or low vision really miss seeing the world around us. I know I miss seeing flowers and the beautiful variety of color in nature. But, we can learn to enjoy the world around us in wonderful new ways through our other senses.
What are you doing this summer to connect with your senses and experience rest?
Life Is An Adventure
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.”
~John Lubbock
Summer is also a time to try new things. It’s a time to go on adventures. I am all about vacations. Growing up, summer often meant camping or a short trip not too far away. As an adult though, I have had many wonderful adventures with my husband and daughter. We’ve gone on cruises, swam with sting rays, climbed water falls, hiked mountain areas, explored other cultures, eaten lots of good food, and so much more. But, we’ve also enjoyed stay-cations in which we just relaxed at home or explored the wonderful offerrings in our community. Adventure is out there waiting for you.
Loss of vision may have caused some of you to reduce and even eliminate your time outdoors in nature or engaging in adventures. I hope not, because there is still so much we can still enjoy. We just have to find new ways to experience all that nature and adventure have to offer.
Try to enjoy the world around you by engaging all of your senses… and find an adventure either in your community, or even a grand adventure!
Connecting With Sylvia On Social Media:
- Facebook: @Sylvia Stinson-Perez
- Twitter: @SylviaSPerez101
- National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University (NRTC): www.blind.msstate.edu/about
Author Bio:
Sylvia Stinson-Perez is a leader in the blindness field helping individuals and organizations succeed through innovative strategic planning and implementation. She has Master’s degrees in Social Work, Visual Disabilities Rehabilitation, and Business Administration. Sylvia is blind as a result of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), however, she believes that everyone should have the opportunity to achieve their potential, a conviction she promotes through:
- her position at the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision
- projects she leads such as Speak With Confidence public speaking training, and mentoring
- service on advisory committees and boards of directors.
Image Descriptions:
- The header photo is a sunset on the beach with pale pink, orange and yellow hues on the horizon and white foamy waves lapping the beach.
- Shot of a group of young friends jumping enthusiastically in the air at the beach.
- A huges stone with the words “Sensory Garden” engraved in it.
- 9 whitewater boaters in safety helmets and floatation vests taking on the rapids are among many who come from all over the world to have a summer adventure on the Gauley River.
- The author’s bio photo is a glam photo of Sylvia in a pink dress with spaghetti straps. Her hair is in a fancy updo with a pink flower on the left of her bun.