Sap Rising

At this current posting, it's 85 degrees and mostly cloudy with a soft breeze. Butterflies and birds are beginning to take flight around us as front lawns start 'greening up'. It's a perfect day for lounging in a hammock or a porch swing to watch things blossom. On yesterday, after a rain shower, I saw a rainbow in full display, all the colors of red, blue, yellow and green were posted radiantly against the pregnant dark gray rain clouds. Now, I've seen plenty of rainbows thus far in my life, but I had yet to see one that went completely across the sky. I stood in that shopping center parking lot for at least 10 minutes while remnant raindrops and damp air moistened my 'Fro, just marveling at God's wonder.

For those of us down here in the South, we're shedding the skin that has kept us insulated from the crisp, chilly nips of Winter. My Southern sisters and I are pulling those frocks out of our closets that expose our golden brown body parts that the menfolk love so much and slipping well-pedicured feet into our favorite sandals, preparing ourselves for the rising temps and heat index warnings that are sure to follow soon. There's a euphoric, seductive aspect of Spring and Summer that entices us to release the tense posture of our shoulders; a common defense mechanism that we use to shield us from the brunt of the frigid air of Winter. It's also a posture that hides us from each other as we bundle up to stay warm. But, the Hot Season allows us to disarm ourselves, basically, and open up to the frolicking opportunities that lay ahead in the coming weeks. A certain kind of Feel-Good awakens in us and then we toss back and forth in fits of restlessness, literally peeling away our reclusiveness with each piece of heavy Winter clothing that's starting to get in our way.



So, naturally, this is the time of the year when hormones stir up joneses. The elders from my Mississippi hometown called it 'sap rising', a term that references the syrupy substance that trees produce in great quantities in the Spring and Summer. It's indicative of something coming back to life -- and in the case of human intimacy, this 'coming to life' is the love jones. I'm not sure if there's some scientific studies that point out whether more babies are born in the Winter or Summer, but I do know that it's something about warm weather and warm emotions that go hand in hand.

To me, it’s no surprise that warm weather enhances the jonesing buzz. You see, Winter is a time of barrenness when nature lets go of its pretty clothes in the form of leaves, flowers and colors to remain stark naked, refusing to give away any beauty, until the Earth moves closer to the Sun again. Since we're Children of the Sun, it's no wonder that, as our melanin-kissed skin browns up to our summer colors, we begin engaging in some imaginings of a person that has lit a pheromone fire in us. After all, it's just nature, right? If it seems as though I'm quite in tune with this phenomenon, it's because I am. You see, I discovered as a young girl that I'd rather be hot than cold any day. Take that however you like. As I evolved into a woman, I noticed that the Hot Season was always the time when I had my biggest crushes and most active intimate imagination.

Although I've been 'down in the valley' in recent years when it came to my love life, I was overjoyed to notice this past Friday night that everything is still in working order. I was among friends, reveling in an outdoor concert in the park with the New Orleans-bred ReBirth Brass Band. Between the city lights illuminating the clouds casting them in a purple puffiness in the night sky, the light drizzle, pleasant Spring breeze, and the vibe in the park, all compounded with the blazing sound of the horns, it seemed like the perfect setup for a movie-like encounter.

At one point, I moved closer to the stage to spend some time among the throngs of people tipping and bopping to the beat. It was obvious that we were all having a blast, Black, White, and otherwise were all on one accord as ReBirth brought the Funk. Without any deliberate attempts on my part, I saw him etching closer to me as I was spinning around, under the spell of the rhythm. Eventually, we were closed in by the people and standing in each other's space, enjoying that good moment between us. He towered over me (not like that's hard to do; I'm built low to the ground, er, I'm short) and I wiggled my hips like a Grown Woman can and should, when she's smitten by 'Manness'--that's an in-house LJL term for the special Something that only Black men possess and it can drive a sister wild when applied properly.

Anyway, not too long after we were brought together by the crowd, my mind drifted. I went to that exclusive space of sensual sweetness and wondered about him. Now, if you're looking for me to divulge the details of my fantastic erotic mind, you'll be waiting. A woman has to keep something to herself, right? I will inform you that I didn't act on anything; simply enjoyed the bliss of the mental ride through this unknown brother's inner workings. The results of the evening satisfied me well. He told me his name and all, but it really didn't matter. He'd actually met his assignment for the night, as far as I was concerned. Through his welcoming persona, he was able to just simply turn me on but not in an animalistic, unevolved, savage manner. He gave me the opportunity to bask in the flyness of an attraction and entertain the prospect of a new love affair, which just may find its way to me very soon, thanks to him.

So, yes, boys and girls, it's sap rising season and I'm glad about it. I feel extremely blessed to know that I haven't, as Darius Lovehall elegantly stated, exhausted the possibilities for romance. As this season sets in for us, have you been able to reawaken that something in you so that this season can feel brand new? If you have, tell us about it.

Enjoy yourselves.

C/K