A little creativity can beat the heat–maybe

There are three phrases that let us know summer is officially here: “There’s nothing to do.” – “I’m bored.” – “It’s too hot to do anything.”

Yes, the children are home from school and now all of the fun begins. After days crammed with structure, activities, schedules and a vast array of projects, the kids are trying to figure out ways to fill the void. My grandsons, ranging in age from five to thirteen, pretty much create as much mischief as possible on any given day. I think they’re not alone.

On the topic of boredom, a group of John Hopkins researchers claims that boredom is a major issue for people of all ages–that it is the major force behind any number of “problem” behaviors in children, the cause of midlife crisis in adults, and primarily responsible for depression in the elderly. And boredom on the job ranks number three of all employee complaints. People may be overworked, multi‑tasked to the max and stressed‑out, but boredom still manages to cause “considerable trouble” for lots of folks.

Some psychologists claim many people don’t realize that their routines lack challenge and they end up being “terminally” unfulfilled. Boredom sets in gradually, like a slow‑moving storm. Evidently, this leads to all manner of “unhealthy behaviors,” from overeating to doing “mean things” just for the heck of it.

Hey, when a woman in California claimed that she set her backyard on fire just because she was “bored and tired of nothing exciting happening” (plus, she wanted to meet a fireman), it might mean that boredom is a public danger!

Sometimes, though, boredom can lead to creativity. Many fantastic musicians were left alone as children, with nothing more than a musical instrument to keep them company. Without childhood boredom, we might not be able to thrill to the greatness of a B.B. King. Left home alone during summer months, King picked up his uncle’s guitar at age seven and “started strumming to fight off loneliness and boredom.” The rest is history. Artists, inventors, writers and musicians often mastered their talents when faced with the prospect of  “nothing to do.” Perhaps our kids need a few musical instruments lying around instead of video games.

Summer is the time for family vacations, fishing trips, water slides and all desperate attempts to remain cool in sweltering heat. Believe it or not, this is the time of year when I look lovingly at my sweatshirts, knowing that cool weather still exists just over the horizon.

A woman in Cave Creek e‑mailed me to say that she “lives for winter” and hibernates every summer in order to “survive.” She claims she simply can’t stand the heat and refuses to cook in the summer (I might try this), refuses to venture out during “peak heat hours” and stays cranky until mid‑September. Hey, it’s actually pretty darn hot all the way to October. Why get nice a month too soon?

A woman in Desert Hills e‑mailed wondering if couples aren’t more romantic (she used a different term, but this is a family newspaper) during winter months. “Who can stand the thought of touching during the summer?” was her question. How the heck should I know? Hmm, come to think of it, I don’t notice too many couples holding hands as they walk around our fair communities during the “hot” months.

I’ve told my grandsons that there are plenty of exciting things to do this summer–books to read, movies to watch, volunteer jobs available, fences to paint, houses to clean, pets to pamper, fish to catch and dinners to cook. And most of these things are free and fun. It just takes a little effort to fight the “blahs.”

Maybe it is a “combustible combination,”boredom and heat. But with a little creativity, a cool pool of water and a musical instrument lying around, we can conquer the triple digits with ease. For those of you who are brave, you might even want to–hold hands!  If not, October is right around the corner.