Summer has always been a time of resolution for me. In school, it was a time to recharge or recommit, an opportunity to show up on that first day of school looking and feeling better than ever. And yet, the past several years I've lost sight of that. It was the summer jobs or the summer classes or the combination of the two that kept me from that reflective space you find in long days of little obligation.
This year, I've reclaimed that summer feeling. I've had weeks to sleep late, read for hours, go for hikes, linger over meals, savor that second cup of coffee... I've been lucky. I have a family that supports me, time between jobs, a beautiful place to call home. I am, for lack of a better term, totally blissed out. But how can we maintain this when life isn't so simple? How can we take time for ourselves when responsibilities to others seem overwhelming?
Next week I'll pack up and move to start a new job in Sweden. I'm sure the obligations will pile up, and with them the stresses. In taking time this summer, I'm taking time for then. I'm making reflection and resolution a priority. I'm reminding myself that coffee is best enjoyed in a favorite mug and not a to-go cup. I'm recalling that a great workout beats a good nap and that the NatGeo Instagram account* is no substitute for the real deal. Taking this time has undoubtedly been a luxury, but I can't help but think that our normal lives, our busy lives, can be filled with little luxuries too.
- EM
*This account is still beautiful and you should check it out here.