The notion of summer coming to Canada can be exciting for many, given how long and brutal the winter usually lasts. With all the enormous anticipation, it is easy to get carried away and over-stretch ourselves to enjoy this amazing time to the fullest. As we interact with the world through our five senses, they can be overwhelmed temporarily or even damaged permanently, and in turn, prevent us from having the experience we want.
There are always ways for us to pay subtle notice but still make a huge difference to protect our senses and enhance our ability to be in the present moment. Here are some suggestions of incorporating some habits that you can pay attention to the next time you are out having fun.
1. Loving the sun while knowing the risks.
Imagine the long awaited sunshine is out, and the feeling of comforting warmth crawls on your skin gently makes you feel energized and optimistic. Our skin, the largest organ of our bodies, through which we feel all the sunshine, deserves extra care when we are out and about. You may have been sunburnt before but still survived, so what is left to be scared of?
One of the most concerning conditions that you should watch out for is a type of skin cancer called Melanoma, in which you will feel some types of discomfort or visible unusual skin color development spreading, and even experience blurry visions or lose sight. According to the statistics from Cancer.Net regarding melanoma, this type of cancer is the most commonly diagnosed in young adults, especially women. These symptoms can be developed through a long period of time without us noticing, and can become incredibly difficult to cure if left for too long.
In order to reduce the possibility, you should follow the instruction to check your body regularly for any irregular signs on your body after being out. The guide to do this test thoroughly can be found here https://checkyourskin.ca/. Taking precautions is also important. If you are already seeking shades between the strong sun hours (11AM until 3PM), putting on sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, and reapplying sunscreen every two hours, putting on sunglasses, and staying away from tanning beds, your skin will feel so grateful for you.
2. Loving what you see? Let’s keep seeing it.
There is a story about a father and a teenage son on the quiet train. As they sit next to the window, the son stares deeply into the passing sceneries. Suddenly, the son screams out “Daddy, look at the cows, they are eating grass!” The dad quickly tells the son to keep the noise down so not to disturb other people sitting in the same cabin. Other passengers are surprised, but they quickly go back to do their own things. After some time has passed, they are again startled due to the boy’s excited remarks about nothing: “Daddy, look at the range of mountains, they are covered in snow!” One of the passengers, who is visibly annoyed at this point, calls out to the dad, “I think you should take your son to the hospital, he doesn’t seem to be mentally alright.” The dad looks a bit flustered, but calmly answers back: “I am sorry that he might have disturbed you. We actually just left the hospital, this is the first day that he has his vision, so he finds everything he sees as a wonder.” This story is just a small reminder for us to appreciate our ability to see, because not everyone is blessed with having normal visions to perceive our beautiful world. As we become more active or stay outdoors for longer, it is important to not only protect your eyes from the sun, but also to watch out for other external factors, like the sports you are doing, or the things that might come in contact with your eyes, or the ways you choose to look at things carefully.
While you remember all the fun during the summer, let’s give your bodies the protection they need to enjoy the summer with you for years to come!
Sources:
“Melanoma - Statistics.” Cancer.Net, 29 Mar. 2023, www.cancer.net/cancer types/melanoma/statistics#:~:text=Melanoma%20accounts%20for %20about%201,the%20United%20States%20in%202023.
