Ladies and gentlemen, I give you … the sun!

Yes, after weeks and weeks and weeks of desperately damp dullness, we’ve finally been given the chance to bask in glorious, golden waves of warmth. And about time, too: any more rain and I’d have put Noah on speed dial.

Yup, there’s little more cheering than a few rays of sun. It’s fascinating to watch how we pasty Brits unfurl like flowers, turning our faces to the unfamiliar glow and exposing as much milky-white flesh as possible. What’s more, we start to smile. Even at strangers. Weird, no?

Although I’ll pretty much talk to anyone, at any time, I’m just as sun-crazed as the next (wo)man. It’s no exaggeration to say that I run on solar power: full of energy and life in the scant summer months, I struggle my way through the gloom the rest of the time. So when the sun comes out, I’m as happy as a pig in poop.

At the moment, though, my energy’s on turbo boost because – at the risk of being a soppy old stick – not only is the sun shining (however temporarily), I’m also being showered with affection on a daily basis. Who could ask for more?

But even though it’s utter bliss to be customarily kissed and cuddled, if I’m honest, the benefits are more than just snog-related: this little adventure has worked wonders for my self-esteem.

Whilst I know this is only a temporary arrangement, it’s convinced me that I’m not on the scrap heap; that there is someone who finds me loveable and is happy to pass extended periods of time in my company. (And thank goodness for that, ‘cause for a while there, I was starting to lose hope…)

It’s nice to take someone else’s feeling into consideration – from what to have for dinner to where to go on the weekend, it’s all a bit more fun when you’re thinking for two.

I’ve discovered I like having someone to care for; I enjoy learning new preferences and predilections, and my diet’s improved because I’m cooking a proper meal rather than hoovering a sandwich on the hoof.

In short, what’s not to like?

Best of all, I’m not even fearful of The End, because there’s a pre-defined cut-off point that’s not dependent on how appealing or attentive I am. It’s out of my hands.

Nothing I can say or do will change the circumstances, so this little bubble of happiness will remain intact, unsullied by future arguments and disagreements. For once, I’m not afraid of cocking it up, which means I can really relax and enjoy it.

And maybe that’s the bigger lesson for me. Maybe if I took the same carefree approach with all my relationships, maybe – just maybe – I wouldn’t be on my own right now.

Hmmm. There’s something to think about for the future. But right now I’ve got other things to think about…

If you’ll excuse me, there’s a hug with my name on it here. I don’t want to keep it waiting.