Summertime—A Season of Simple Joy
We often read about the slow, simple days of summer in books and magazines. We have plenty of movies and Instagram posts to bring about the feeling of what summer can and should be. The weather encourages lighter clothing; the shimmering lakes, oceans and pools welcome us into their cool water.
Some summers, though, can whiz by due to all the obligations we have to take care of every day. Work doesn't stop, family needs and wants may increase household chores call out even more as the sunlight reaches that dusty surface or your plants are pleading for water in warmer days and nights.

So, how do we balance all of this? Believe it or not, it can start in your produce department—and with Melissa’s produce! Before you walk into the store, put your phone away, take a breath, and stop for a second to shift gears. Consider all your favorite summer produce fruits and veggies: peaches, cherries, nectarines, plums, melons, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes and more tomatoes… Think of what each of these summer favorites tastes like— their myriad flavors and where they may come from. Flavor is the ultimate expression of place. It is determined with such synchronism, it truly is a miracle… factors such as geography, geology, climate, and even the bacteria in the soil; the harvest, handling, distance to market, and storage; even the time of day it was harvested—all of these and more contribute to the nuances of flavor that we experience with each bite.
Now, walk into the produce department and look at all the color and abundance there before you. There is something that happens when you take time to notice and ‘smell the roses,’ as it were. A 2018 study by Rutgers University was able to correlate people who actively practice appreciation with increased personal happiness. They measured appreciation levels as acknowledging the value and meaning of something—an event, a behavior, an object—and feeling a positive emotional connection to it… including awe or feeling a sense of connection to nature or life itself and living in the present moment.
Now, smell all the aromas that fill the air. Why start with smell? It is the first sense you use when you are born, and one in every 50 of your genes is dedicated to it. As adults, we can distinguish over 1 trillion different scents. But how do we tell the difference between smells? Our bodies have over 40,000,000 different olfactory receptor neurons, and these neurons are always fresh and ready to go. They are the only neurons in the body that get replaced regularly, every 4 to 8 weeks.
Our bodies are amazing. Just by smelling our food, our bodies anticipate its life-giving nutrients and prepare for digestion. Taste and smell are two different senses, yet they are intimately entwined to help us interpret the chemical world. This close relationship is most apparent in how we perceive the flavors of food. Researchers say 80% of the flavors we taste come from what we smell!
Now move to a favorite Melissa's organic produce item of yours. Smell the early-season peaches, pick up a cantaloupe (smell the non-stem end), and smell the strawberry container from a non-refrigerated display. You get more aroma from room temperature produce.
Can you feel the difference in your body even though there may be hustle and bustle around you? It may not be a day at the beach or starry summer night, but it’s a great start!
One last summer opportunity I invite you to try, from Stephanie Harrison’s 6 Paths to Joy: Practice noticing all the good that already exists. As you go through a typical day, notice moments of joy. If you can, jot them down. Don’t do anything else differently, but just keep an eye out for these little moments. Near the end of the day, look at your list and see if there are any patterns that jump out. Maybe your moments of joy are with particular people or pieces of Melissa's organic produce, in specific places, or while doing certain things. What path of joy shows up most for you (and what path shows up the least?)
Here's to a summer of simple pleasures, moments of joy, and appreciation.