A Summer State of Mind

“One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Two More Weeks

Hello friends! Long time no chat! I have been busy soaking up these last weeks of summer which friends, while Labor Day MIGHT be over, and it might be the official unofficial end to summer, we still have TWO, read it, TWO more weeks of summer, and I am not ready to say good-bye just yet. Nor am I ready to do my annual ode to summer. I mean the weather switch might have been flipped on September 1, and it might be cooler, by twenty or so degrees. And the sun might be less bright (though I did get a sunburn during our yard sale, go figure, of ALL the places!) BUT we still have two more weeks of summer! I don’t care WHAT Labor Day signals.

Semi-joking aside, whether you view the end of summer with kiddos going back to school, or if you follow it on an official calendar and it truly does end of with the Autumnal Equinox. Summer much like Christmas, like sweater weather, like anything is as much a state of mind as a time stamp on a calendar. And ironically, while I tend to start celebrating summer as soon as the temps start to warm up, which is usually before Memorial Day, I also tend to hold on to other dates on the calendar. Like I can not wait for winter to end. But then for me, summer has always been my favorite time, even more so then Christmas.

Most Happiest Time of Year

Summer for me has always been when I am the most happiest. It brings out my care-free side, no ish given, and I am in a perpetual state of joy. Part of it is because the sun is out, and I adore the warmer temps. The beaches are open, and everyone seems more relaxed as they take more vacations, spend time with family and friends, and are outside more soaking up that Vitamin D and sea, which can’t help BUT put you in a great mood.

I use to get so depressed and anxious after Labor Day. Don’t get me wrong, I love all the fall things like apple picking, and I adore fall fashion, but it signaled the shortened days and cold weather. It felt dreary. And while yes Christmas was thrown in there, between October and April it just dragged on. Which is a heck of a long time to be gloomy, and yes I do know I have Seasonal Effectiveness Disorder.

Summer State of Mind

I realized this past year that summer truly is a state of mind, when I would take trips to the beach. And yes it was freezing, especially living in New England and New York (lawd is it cold here!). And I was bundled up like the kid in a Christmas Story, but I found breathing the salt air and hearing the waves brought me immense joy, despite the frigid temps. It centered and calmed me, and reminded me that everything is temporary. Everything passes. We just have to go through. As much as I hate it, we have to have falls and winters, and in their own regards there is something beautiful and special with those seasons, we just have to look, though we might have to look a little bit harder. And in that looking, it gives us a greater appreciation for summer.

Yes we only have two more weeks of summer, and technically, for many, summer has ended with Labor Day, but if you love it like I do, a piece of summer will always be in your heart, and the memories you created these last few months and subsequently in years passed will stay with you always. So friends, it isn’t good-bye summer, but maybe just a kind of see you later ol’ friend.

Do you live in a summer state of mind? Or are you happy for Autumn?