A Summer In Texas: Brutal and Beautiful?

Summer is well under way here in Texas with highs already in the 90's and intense humidity. As a self procalaimed lover of winter, cozy sweaters and hot coffee, it can be quite difficult to find joy engaging in all of the outdoor adventures I typically love to do. I have always hated the relentless heat of a Texas summer and spent most of my life trying to escape it. This summer is no different. It's my first true Texas summer in five years. I spent last year up in the mountains of New Mexico where overnight temperatures stayed in the 40's well into July. It was magnificent and the kind of summer my dreams are made of. It felt like I got to go to a magical summer camp for adults where all of my outdoor adventure dreams came true.

Fast forward a year and I find myself once again asking, "why am I back here for another brutal summer?" "This is insane! How do people live like this?" "I'm an adult, I can leave if I want to!" I keep reminding myself that this is just temporary and I will be back to the cooler mountain air and views soon enough. But for now...this is where I need to be and I am doing my best to make the best of it. And while I am here, making the best of it, I decided to do a seasonal job at a local park. As far as jobs go...it's not my favorite, lol. It involves a lot of talking to the general public, answering the same questions 1000 times a day, checking people in to camp sites and apparently working on my poker face while listening to park guest complain about truely ridiculous things all day. Have I mentioned that I indeed have a terrible poker face? There is a reason I haven't worked in customer service since college....my face...there is no hiding my emotions, lol. It has been a great reminder of how important it is to be kind to people working in customer service and reminded me to take that knowledge with me when this seasonal job is over.

It hasn't all been terrible. I am, afterall, spending my days in a beautiful park away from the city. I've started the habit of going in early before the gates open and exploring some of the trails. I've found a great lunch spot under a shade tree with a view of the river and there are still some late spring wildflowers hanging on. But this week I got to see something I wasn't expecting that might turn out to be my saving grace this summer. There is a section of the park closed off to the public and only accessible on a guided hike once a week...that is unless you work at the park. I was able to go to this area with some co-workes this week and couldn't believe what I was seeing. I felt like I was transported out of Texas to a magical jungle with moss and lily pads and beautiful trees and flowing water. I can understand why it has remainded closed off. Humans would surely ruin this beautiful area if given carte blanche to traipse all over it.

I will absolutely be coming back to this spot as often as I can this summer, always careful to leave no trace I was ever there, so that years down the road, another park employee might have the same magical experience I had. What an unexpected gift this serene oasis will be for me this summer. And isn't that how it goes? When you are open to the silver lining life often has to offer, when things aren't exactly as you wish them to be, but you still continue forward, All The Things you didn't know existed can open up right before you.