Sodexo at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center: Favorite Summer Activities- Featuring Darrin Cassidy, Patient Services Supervisor

Darrin has worked at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center for 8 years. He started as a per diem Nutrition Care Representatives while he was in high school and decided to join the department full time during college.

This week, I am very pleased to have Darrin tell us about his favorite summer activities- mountain climbing in New Hampshire.

"Summer is a great time to finally do those activities you think about all year long. During this past winter, I spent many of those dreadfully cold days thinking about climbing mountains once the weather finally turned nice. Recently, I finally got to climb the mountain I’ve been thinking about all year. Mount Washington, the biggest around. It’s the pinnacle peak of the White Mountains in New Hampshire, and to find a taller mountain one must travel into Canada or leave the Northeastern region of the United States altogether.

There is something incredibly freeing about being up in the clouds. Reality is different, physically and spiritually. As you travel up and down the slopes, you also travel through a wide range of emotions. There are times of intense stress and danger, as well as times of peace of calm.

One memorable moment on the mountainside was at a landmark called the Lion’s Head, which is basically the first mass of bedrock you come across after exiting the tree-line. After popping out of the woods and hurrying over to this landmark, it would be easy to wander into blinding fog or slip on some ice and fall 3,000 feet to your end. This ever-present element of mindfulness forces you to take in your surroundings and understand it all.

During my recent trip to the summit, I brought along a friend who had never climbed such a big mountain. We were going way too slow and I was afraid we weren’t going to make it back down before sunset. We made it back to the car just before it got dark and we avoided being stranded on the mountain all night. It’s amazing what a person can do with proper motivation and drive. My friend had never so much as glimpsed the mountain, yet he made it to the top and back down with speed. It doesn’t matter who you are. You can enjoy the beauty this land we live near has to offer.

Hiking through the wilderness is just one of the ways to enjoy this gorgeous weather. Kayaking, baseball, volleyball, the beach, running, taking a stroll around the block after dinner, or simply sitting in the sunshine outside your home are ways to take advantage of living in a deciduous forest during the summer time.

Most New Englanders plan 100 intricate summer activities as winter wreaks havoc on their lives, but follows through on perhaps ten percent, taking these precious rays of summer sun for granted. Soon, the snows will come, and we will once more vow to do the things we could be doing right now."

Thank you Darrin for sharing your favorite summer activity with us!