Hooray! Summer is here, one of my favorite things in the whole world. Our July feature article, “Simple Summer Pleasures,” immediately brings sunny outdoor fun memories to mind, starting with barefoot splashing in any available puddle and drinking in as much fresh air as possible.

As a kid, summer typically found my friends and me relaxing under the massive willow in the cul-de-sac on our street. Childhood games of Red Rover, Monkey at Bat, and Hide-and-Go-Seek regularly got us up and going, but my ultimate simple pleasure was lying back in the cool summer grass looking for animal shapes in fluffy white clouds overhead. We savored every last minute of daylight before our moms called us to come in and wash up for dinner; sometimes they had to raise their voices a bit before we heeded.

Today I find simple pleasure in taking a break from the publishing schedule to play a few rounds of fetch with my eager puppy, which brings indescribable joy and allows my soul to reconnect. Watching him and his pals rediscover hidden backyard treasures or seeing small children play, I make it a point to focus on following their innate wisdom of living in the moment. This practice brings strings of small pleasures throughout my workday, continually re-centering me; I envy children and animals that don’t need to “practice” because they simply are.

Girls’ weekends are another joy as we connect to escape the daily busy-ness and settle in for a weekend at the beach. These times just can’t be beat! I highly recommend such special occasions, and as often possible. If you need to make more friends, Boston boasts some of the best meet-up and networking groups around; look for folks with similar passions. Creating and revisiting favorite memories with old or new friends renders life the best.

This month’s issue sports lots of simple summer pleasures; check them out in our NewsBriefs and Calendar pages. You’ll find goodies like Boston Harborfest, a Boston Pops concert complete with fireworks celebrating the Fourth, and special wellness retreats. There’s sure to be something for everyone in the Greater Boston area. Please allow yourself many moments to relax and enjoy life.

Happy Birthday USA!

Maisie Raftery, Publisher