take a little vacation.
The heart of summer reminds us that every now and then we really do need a day at the beach. Besides swimming, dozing, or building a sandcastle if we feel like it, there’s nothing we have to do. There’s little that needs to be said other than, “Want another ice-cream?” A day at the beach fills us with much-needed sunshine, salty water, and the camaraderie of plenty of people who we don’t know, so that we feel safe and amused but not imposed upon. Even if we’re far from any ocean, we can experience all this simply by taking a day off and deciding to laze in the sun or cool off in a stream. Tune out by watching Jacques Tati’s charming film: Mr. Hulot’s Holiday. Don’t talk so much. Leave the letters you have to write and the phone calls that need to be returned for another day. If you must do something, look for sea shells or read a novel.