Summer

Today I have on my mind summer. Perhaps this is so because it is so dang hot outside and...inside. I had the naive notion that when we moved to the hills of Kentucky it wouldn't be as hot as it was in the deep south, so why not buy a house without central air? Sure, the nights are pleasant and on into the morning it is nice as well. But I knew today was going to be sticky when by 10 am, I had already shed the socks and the long pants. I'm reminded of Terry Bradshaw in the movie "Failure to Launch". Actually, this movie was only so so, but it has some hilarious parts like Terry Bradshaw's naked room. Who doesn't need a naked room, a metaphor for feeling absolutely comfortable? For Bradshaw that meant showing his butt. And God bless him for doing so. I think it takes a lot of courage to bare it, especially after one reaches a certain age. Kathy Bates, who plays the mom in the same movie, had a full frontal nudity shot in another movie called "About Schmidt" (a good, albeit disturbing movie as it reminded me of certain people I know). Anyway, I gained new respect for the woman after that because she felt comfortable enough in her own skin to get naked for a movie. I'm sure the money helped, too.

A naked room doesn't have to mean you take your clothes off. Maybe it is simply your place to hang out and not have to worry about how you look or what you say or even how you smell. This is your place to just BE. For me, my naked place is actually in a pair of denim capris and a comfy red shirt I bought at the beginning of the summer. I'm most likely sitting in front of the computer with my fingers on the keyboard or I'm on the front porch with a book in hand and nary a mosquito in sight. Now that is a great naked place.

I hope before we begin to feel the brisk breeze of autumn that you find your own naked place and enjoy the peace of it.