Living In Color: Love, Life & Everything in Between

A special reflection for National Hammock Day — from Living In Color Reflections

July 22 is National Hammock Day, a day devoted to kicking back, letting go, and floating for a while—literally. But if you’ve ever attempted to get into a hammock, you know: relaxation doesn’t come before the effort. It comes after you’ve managed not to flip, tangle, or completely embarrass yourself in the process. Sound familiar?

It should—because it’s a lot like being in a relationship.

The Hammock Hustle: Getting In

Hammocks look effortless, right? But stepping into one takes a surprising amount of strategy. And so does stepping into a relationship.

You approach thinking, “This will be easy.” But suddenly your center of gravity shifts, your footing is off, and the more you try to control it, the wobblier it becomes. Whether it’s a new love, a new phase, or adding someone to your carefully balanced life, it takes patience and practice to find stability.

And when a second person tries to join in—oh boy. Getting the balance just right for two people is a true test. It takes communication, coordination, and more than a little laughter.

The Sweet Spot: Leaning In and Letting Go

Once you do manage to settle into a hammock, you realize what all the fuss was about. You’re suspended—supported by a net, swaying with the breeze, at peace. It’s not solid, not firm, but it holds you. You don’t control it. You let it hold you, and you sway with it.

That’s the magic of a balanced, connected relationship.

When both people can lean in—emotionally, physically, spiritually—and allow themselves to be held by the trust and safety of the relationship, it’s powerful. You can rest. You can breathe. You can exhale fully for the first time in a while.

That kind of intimacy doesn’t just happen. It’s built through vulnerability, alignment, and sometimes a few falls on the way in.

Life Shifts: Getting Out Without Crashing

And then… life changes. You have to move. The weather turns. Or one of you needs to stand up and shift.

Getting out of a hammock—like navigating change in a relationship—requires care. You can’t just bolt. You can’t panic. You have to feel it out, shift slowly, stay connected to your center, and hope the net doesn’t wrap around your ankle and take you down with it.

Sometimes we fall. Sometimes we stumble. Sometimes we laugh-cry our way through transitions.

But falling doesn’t mean failing. It means we’re human.

What Hammocks Teach Us About Love

Here’s the real gift of a hammock: it teaches us that letting go is an active choice. That stillness takes practice. That being held is not about control but about trust. And that balance—whether solo or with a partner—is never one-and-done. It’s something we recalibrate every day.

So on this National Hammock Day, take a moment to reflect:

• Where in your life could you let go a little more?
• What relationships are you trying to control instead of trust?
• Where do you need more support?
• When was the last time you just rested—emotionally, physically, or spiritually?

Whether you’re navigating a new relationship or deepening a long-term one, remember this: love, like hammocks, is meant to hold us—if we’re willing to lean in, wobble a little, and let it sway.

Tammy Fisher, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST

Home page

NationalHammockDay #LetItSway #LoveAndBalance #RelationshipMetaphors #TherapistThoughts #RestReflectReconnect #LivingInColorReflections #SelfCareAndConnection #LivingInColorPodcast