What Summer Means to Me
a personal think piece about summer, nostalgia and childlike wonder
This summer, I have been striving to have a quintessential summer. Full of excitement, adventures. Awe and wonder. Being present, so I can truly experience the magic of the moment.
I’ve been reflecting on summer nostalgia, on what brings back those feelings of carefree days and simpler times. Doing what I can to evoke freedom and unbridled joy. I’m a firm believer in the fact that those emotions and feelings don’t have to fade with childhood. As adults, we can still feel joy and wonder and excitement just as passionately. We just have to allow ourselves to.
Chasing fireflies barefoot in thick itchy grass. Cupping it in your hand, your palms aglow. They dance across the yard, floating sparkles. Making the darkness magical.
Floating on the lake, lazily watching tree branches float by. Not doing anything, except float. Letting the water hold up your weight, like you’re an astronaut in space- weightless. Gazing at clouds, finding ones that look like a heart or maybe a dog? Letting the feeling of peace wash over you, quieting your heartbeat.
Making wishes on dandelions, pulled from neighbors’ yards. Closing your eyes tight, making a little wish, letting the fuzzy seeds fly away in the wind. Maybe you can fly away after them, letting the wind swirl up from beneath you and carry you. Carry you over your town and the next one, over big cities and vast oceans.
Reading chapters on the couch, in pajamas, for hours. Losing track of time, letting yourself be transported to the adventures of the characters. Getting caught up in their emotions, their lives. Feeling like you have a friend within the pages.
Peeking through glass display cases, on your tiptoes. Chocolate peanut butter ice cream with chocolate sprinkles, in a waffle cone. Or maybe a chocolate vanilla soft-serve twist, piled high in a cup, covered in chocolate sprinkles. So that it looks almost like a ant hill covered in ants. Delicious.
Watching sunrises, and sunsets. Trying to capture it in your brain as much as you possibly can. Don’t take a picture, it’ll never look the same. Just sit and look and appreciate. Let yourself fall into the amazement of how absolutely beautiful it is. Let your eyes reflect the vibrant hues fading into soft haze, until the stars start to poke through- dotting the dark sky with light.
Laying in the sun. Feeling how it warms your skin, letting the sun kiss you.
Listen, to nothing and everything at once. Let your ears be filled with birdsong, with the whispers of trees swaying, the breeze rustling flower petals. Listen closely, so closely, so that maybe you can hear the soft pitter patter of a chipmunk over moss. Can you hear the trees speaking to each other? The leaves like fallen love letters landing softly on dirt.
I’m trying to loosen up my routines. Let go of my usual. Lean into adventure, into unknown. Letting myself get lost in something. Throwing myself into something new. Not always following time frames or plans. Giving my mind the space to be creative, to enjoy and appreciate.
To me, summer is about living. About remembering how alive you truly are. Letting your senses lead you. Noticing and appreciating. Losing track of time and keeping track of what matters to you. How many books you’ve read or how many butterflies you’ve seen. How many coffee dates with a friend you’ve had or how often you’ve laughed.
Lots of love,
Rachel
